new boss humiliation round 2

Do you all remember my Cheeto humiliation with my new boss? Well, unfortunately I had another embarrassing moment with him yesterday...

It was the end of a busy and stressful work day. I stepped into an elevator with a man who works on another floor. Two more of my co-workers darted through the closing elevator doors. As the door was closing, I saw my new boss's pink shirt rushing towards the elevator (He's really tall so his shirt is at most people's eye level). As I was pushed to the back, there was nothing I could do to let him on. Another co-worker jabbed his hand through the closing doors and they bounced back open enough for my new boss to get on. There was some friendly banter about how we are a loyal company, "willing to lose a hand for each other," etc., etc. The man who works on the other floor said, "So you're all in the museum business?" My new boss chuckled, "Yep. We're all lucky to have jobs right now."

Lately I've been a little worried about this new boss. He's young, a go-getter, here to make some changes, etc. He's even spoken with me about cutting my position. I've thought, "If I lose my job, it will be because of him." And he's arrogant. He kind of irks me.

So we get to the ground level and the elevator doors open. No one moves. I say, "Goodbye everybody!" and squeeze my way off. I guess my new boss and another male co-worker follow me off because I can hear them chatting behind me. I hold the doors for them as I exit the building. I turn right, they turn left...or so I thought.

I consider myself a pretty quiet person. Sometimes I'll go several hours without speaking a word. But when I think I'm alone and when I'm irritated about something, sometimes I wear my feelings on my face and SOMETIMES I utter things to myself.

As I was walking down the sidewalk, I was thinking about my new boss's chuckle about being lucky to have a job in a museum. I was thinking about the time he proposed that my position was not really needed. I rolled my eyes at the memory of him suggesting I apply for a paid internship at another museum. And the culminating thought escaped my lips in a bitter utterance...

"He's out to get me!"

What happen next happened so fast and so simultaneously that you have to really pay attention here. I said those words out loud and then instantly heard a familiar voice right next to me...

"SO how was the tour you went on today?!" (I took an hour off that afternoon to tag along on a tour at the museum)

I saw a pink shirt out of the corner of my eye. I felt electricity shoot through my body and it made my hands tingle. This was partially due to being startled, partially out of mortification that my new boss was indeed right next to me as I had cursed his existance, and partially that another human being probably witnessed me talking to myself.

I have no idea if he heard me or not, but it is EXTREMELY likely. I just kept thinking, "I can't believe this is happening!" But of course I just played it off and starting telling him about how wonderful the tour was and he should go take one as soon as he gets a chance.

And then he bounded off into the traffic--not wanted to wait at the crosswalk with me until the light changed.