Si Kepala Besar

“During JT’s leave there is no one in charge for the job cost. Perhaps it’s time that SRS learns to design a job cost?”

Those pearly words didn’t come from the big director to the employee, nor did it come from an immediate supervisor to his subordinate. It came from someone, not even remotely related in job structure, from someone not even a senior to her colleague (with the same level of responsibility). To one of my best friends at work.

Let’s just name the wise @$$ “Si Kepala Besar”. There’s nothing more appropriate to name the person. She’s bossy, bitchy, and she’s a backstabber. A “perfect” colleague. Someone who can really gets on your nerve at such close proximity.

She was my teammate before. But her sharp mouth is the last thing I want to see each and every morning. And every night, at every waking moment, I could not stop dreading going to work, to meet with her. And after 9 months of suffering, I finally shout out to the world, “heck, I can’t work with this person.”

I'm a quitter, I'd have to admit that. But I loved myself more to risk having a heart attack or high blood pressure everytime I have to sit face to face with her, everytime I hoped that she’s not gonna mock me for something we disagree upon in front of her dear darling boss. She’s a pain to me. Even long after we don’t work together.

My replacement, who turned out to be one of my bestfriends at work (NRH) complained about her “darling” teammate not 1 week after her first day. Another colleague (JR) who is in my division got a round of her “quick wit” when she scolds him in public (out loud) for not wanting to pick up the phone and answer to clients request, not long into his 2nd week of work. Another colleague of mine (TYU) got one too, when she “summoned” her to her desk to help her out with some statistics problem.

Her bossiness and bitchiness weren’t the biggest problem that we had to face with. A far bigger problem was that she can be very nice to you, enough to make you consoled with her (hah, stupid me), and then she’d tell on your boss saying the exact same thing you told her (that you don’t get your boss, that sometimes you think your boss does not like your work), and in the end, earn a couple of extra points to her advantage.

Si Kepala Besar. Everytime there’s a new breed coming to work with us, she’d lurk them and try to be their friends, and somehow they managed to get rid of her the soon as they “woke up”. It seems that no sane person in this floor would stay friends with her. Why is it like that, I don’t even know. She’s not bad to look at. She’s even smart. But somehow, the rest of us feel that that’s not the only thing we need in a worker (and especially in a human being).

No, I made peace with her a long time ago. Exactly 1 year ago right after I confronted her, I had to make peace with myself that this person is never going to change. And I’d be wasting my breath even thinking that she could be a less bitchy person.

However, Si Kepala Besar did teach me a very valuable lesson. That TRUST is one priceless thing. It’s not one thing on bargain sale. Nor is it a bulk commodity. Trust is something you gain for being yourself. For giving your true sincere intentions. I learned from Si Kepala Besar that we shouldn’t trust her with any real problems. That on the other hand we should be able to tell which friends are worthy of our trust. And NRH, SRS, TYU, and JR are some amongst all that you can be sure to keep your trust.

Well Kepala Besar. Thanks for your tips.