Several weeks ago, someone I talked with online a couple of months past called me up asking if I can do a website for a start-up company he's working with. I told him I might not be able to, since I already had my hands full with my regular job then. (It wasn't really that hectic, but I'd rather take things easy, as my friends would know.) Anyway, he told me he'd seen my website and he said he really wanted me for the job. I insisted on the fact that I'm positive can't, and even if I do accept it, I won't be able to prioritize it. He told me to think about it and he'd call me again the following week to see if I might change my mind. Fair enough, I thought, so that was that.
I got the phone call exactly a week after and he asked what I thought about his offer. I said I really won't be able to do it and told him it would be better if he looked into other options. This was when things started to get weird for me. He asked me again what the URL for my website was. So I told him, and he asked if I could hold. Sure, I said. A couple of minutes later, I heard him talking with someone in the background. When he picked up the receiver I said I really had to go since it was already late and I had work the following day. He totally ignored it and proceeded to tell me that he just showed his boss my website and he got the approval to take me in as their designer. "Now wait a minute," I said. I told him again I wasn't interested in doing their website and I already had a regular job that takes up most of my time; I wouldn't be able to prioritize doing their website. He insisted he already made his decision and he really wanted me to do it.
By that time it was already becoming frustrating almost to the point of being rude, so I told him he really didn't want me for the job. I would only cause him problems, I might not be able to deliver on time, and to top it all off, it's been close to two years since I've coded something! (I feel ashamed of this, now that I think about it. I should start doing websites again. Baby steps.) Now, I'm not sure how he was able to maneuver the conversation, but the next thing I knew I was agreeing to meet him and his boss on Monday -- tomorrow -- to talk about the proposals. Of course, I made sure to tell him there's no guarantee I'd agree to do it, only to meet with him and his boss to tell them of my decision if I still wanted to do it or not personally.
So tonight he calls again. "Oh, it's you," I greeted him. He said he just called to remind me about tomorrow. I told him I remember. And then he asked me if I still wanted to do it. I said no, I never wanted to do it, and I never agreed to anything yet in the first place -- only to meet with them for my decision. Then he told me if they were going to have problems with me, it would be better if I just decline so he can look for another person first thing tomorrow.
AND THEN THERE WAS LIGHT!
"You mean to tell me," I began, barely hiding the anger and irritation in my voice, "after our conversation last week and the week before that, you only figured out NOW that I didn't want the job?"
"So you don't want to do it?"
Christ. I think I just popped a vein. "Oh Lord, were you even listening to anything I've said?!"
"Look, I'm just doing business here, and if you don't want to do it, just tell me now." He said it as if I didn't make it clear in the previous phone calls that I didn't want the fucking job, and I'm the bad guy.
"No, I don't want to do it, and good luck." The line was silent. I waited for him to hang up before I put down the phone.
Now, I just want to know: HOW ARE PEOPLE LIKE THAT WITH LIMITED MENTAL CAPACITY FOR COMPREHENSION ABLE TO SURVIVE? SHOULDN'T THEY BE LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS JUST FIGURING OUT HOW TO OPEN A GODDAMNED MILK CARTON? Yeesh. I know a lot of smart, good, unemployed people who deserve the job idiots like the one I just talked with have.
Sigh. Control yourself, Podi. Breathe in, breathe out. There is more good than bad in this world. There is more good than bad in this world. There is more good than bad in this world...
