Rubbing Me the Wrong Way

I just came back from a weekly meeting where I got a bit ticked off.  After the meeting I was pulled aside and "talked to".  Evidently an organizational VIP who sat next to me at last week's meeting was "offended" by something I said last week.  Actually she was specifically offended by a single word uttered by a friend of mine at the meeting and repeated by me in response to his comment.

This VIP sent the President an email yesterday regarding this offence.


Now I'll be the first to admit that I can be great at putting my foot in my mouth.  Sometimes I'll speak without thinking or I'll just naturally go a little salty with the language.

The thing is this time, I wasn't swearing or being belligerent.....then.

I tried to play nice with the President and say I'd watch what I say in the future but then I caught myself.  I know who I am and I'm not a guy who self-sensors to such an extent that someone who wants to take offense isn't going to have any purchase to do so.  That's not who I am.  Who I am is a guy who isn't going to stick a rod up his ass and speak without saying anything so there is no way anyone can take offense.  Who I am is a guy who isn't going to deliberately going to offend someone.  If I know you don't like the word "cock" (not the word I used) I'm not going to simply substitute dick or penis in order to not say the word you don't like and poke fun at you at the same time.

What I will do, however, is call bullshit when bullshit needs to be called.  For being offended this VIP had no problem making small talk and then waiting almost a full week to take any action.  I don't know about you, but when I get offended I don't sit on my hands for six days.  I'll usually say something then and there.  Now if I'm totally pissed (or just pissed off) I might excuse myself from the offensive situation and let myself calm down a day before moving forward, but almost a week is right out.

I had been considering doing more with this organization, but if this chicken-shit is the way things are done around these parts then count me out.  I have better things to do with my time.