Katie Doyle, Girl About Town

Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 - 3:26 a.m.

It's 3:28 am in a quiet house. Rain is pounding on the roof, and I've got Green Day's "Time of Your Life" in my ears. Can there be any more melancholic peace?

I'm in a melancholic mood, peeps. Look out.

I learned a valuable lesson today, but let's jump to the good part, which is that the phone rang ludicrously early for someone who had gotten to sleep around 7a, with the news that I am at last gainfully employed. Or will be, come Monday, anyway. Let the rejoicing begin! Kill the fatted calf and pop open the bubbly (not necessarily in that order - and we should probably just open the feta'd tofu, for the more vegetarian among you, but you know what I mean)! I am, long last, with prospects again. Ah, the silly joy of it. And for a ridiculously stupid amount of money, on top of that. I'm talkin' Stupid, people. The kind of stupid where you read the contract and your mouth falls open because you were wildly hoping for *half* that much, and holy crap, are they fricking crazy???

THAT stupid.

But they wanted me to start today, which I really couldn't do, because I have a temp job this week, and if I take the new one, I leave the temp people in the lurch, and they were kind enough to pay me really well for the work, and I do not want to repay that by screwing them. So I called to let them know that this will be my last week. They were all hey, that's cool, congratulations, awesome, and oh, by the way, how much are they paying you?

Now, see, this is where it all went askew.

Me, I am the kind of person who is happy when nice people do well. I figure they have paid their dues and work hard, and they deserve all the happy they can get. I do not hear what someone is making and immediately begrudge them that. I am not interested in keeping up with the Joneses. I personally feel the Joneses tend to spend their money poorly, so it doesn't really matter how much they have to waste, anyway. That's their business, and more power to 'em. As long as I have what *I* need, that is all that matters. Yes, it is hard watching some people squander money when I am going without, but I do not *begrudge* them their money, and that is the key point I am trying to make. I figure they worked for it, and it is theirs. It has nothing to do with me. So I forget everyone else is not like that, especially here in Status City. Also, where I come from, it's pretty rude to ask someone what they're making, unless you're darn good friends with them. People just do not do it. I mean, I will ask precious few people what they're being paid for a job, and then it has to be someone I know well, and I am still very cautious about it and always preface it with "If you don't mind my asking..." and "You do NOT have to answer this".

So I was caught unprepared when I told the person I am temping for that I had gotten this job, and in the midst of all the backslapping and high 5's, she said "what are they paying you?" And not being a duplicitous or conniving human being, I went "Uh...blahblahblah." Which met with an enthusiastically happy response, and I said "I know, isn't that ridiculous, I can't believe it; I've never made that much in my life," and we moved on. And then she turned around and repeatedly (as in, over and over and over) blabbed it to everyone in the office and made enough pointed comments that I realized oh, crap; it's probably more than she makes, and she is NOT happy in the slightest. Like, she told so many people (some of whom she had to *call*) and made such a huge deal out of it, that I am literally waiting for the new job people to call and tell me someone told them I was blabbing it all over town, and they don't want to hire someone who can't keep quiet about stuff. :( Seriously. I'm not kidding. It was that bad, and the world of reality television is *not* a big world. Someone in every company knows someone in every other company. Which isn't hard, because there are only like 12 companies, and everyone floats back and forth between them, and the new one I am going to is one of the big ones. So I guarantee you that by tomorrow, SOMEONE at the new place will know I have been hired there and how much I am going to be paid. :( I frigging guarantee it, and it's really stressing me out. And then she made sure to tell me all about the new car she just bought and how super cool and spiffy it is, just to let me know I am not doing any better than she is. So the valuable lesson I learned?

Keep your stupid mouth shut about how much money you make. To anyone.

And I feel bad, because she works really hard, and I'm sorry if she isn't making as much money as I will be, but seriously, that is not my fault, and it's not like I haven't paid my dues and worked off more than a little karmic debt in the last 5 years alone, not to mention since I was, like, ten. Believe me, I have put in the time and work to earn this job and the paycheck to go with it. So now, please cross your fingers for a miracle that no one at the temp place blabs to anyone anywhere else that will get back to the new place. :(

Peace out,
Katie

6 comments so far

"It's not easy bein' green..."
Word, Kermit. Word.

*HUGS* TOTAL! give katiedoyle more *HUGS*
Get hugs of your own

Yesterday's News - Next Stop

In which Katie shares sad news - Wednesday, Apr. 01, 2015
In which Katie returns after a very long absence - Monday, Jun. 25, 2012
In which Katie pokes her head in and brushes some of the cobwebs away - Thursday, May. 06, 2010
In which Katie asks you to write your congressman again. - Monday, Jun. 02, 2008
In which Katie asks you to please click the link and send the message to protect the rights of artists - Wednesday, May. 21, 2008