Female Empowerment ?

A bit long story, sorry.

The following happened while working, so I won’t give details but it goes something like this: I went to a company client’s locale to perform a service (not that kind) that has a limited clock. The time for such service is determined by the hiring client and they know to be ready by that time even though we give a small window of grace (because we understand things happen) and they also know that once that window expires, the service ceases, they get charged and we move to our next service.

Earlier this week, I went to do not one but two services to a client I will call Subsidiary. I arrived about 15 minutes before service time, politely announced myself to the staff on that side of the building (this is important for what comes after) and waited for them to do what they needed to do so I could do my service. There was confusion as apparently they were not told about the service and did not have things ready. Long-short, time came, went and grace period also expired and I informed I had to cancel and go to my next duty.

The next service is on the other side of the same edification. I arrived early again and announced myself and the staff on that side were already doing the finishing touches so I could do my duty. As I am about to perform my job, I am interrupted by a female demanding that I step to one side and talk to her. I acquiesced and she demanded that I explained why I did not perform the first service.

I did not care for either her attitude, her tone of voice and the fact that she was doing this grandstanding of power flexing in front of others not involved in her issue. However I politely explained what had happened in the hope she would understand.

She did not. On the contrary, she went as far as to accuse me of abandoning the service before the grace window was closed and that I was being unhelpful. I explained that she was mistaken and that I in fact left when I said I did, strategically I did not inform her that the company has an app that registers data of actions and inputs including the time when a service is set for start, time of arrival, time of departure and time of cancellation if it happens (never show all of your cards). She doubled-down on her accusation and made it an assurance that I have left prior to grace window and she was doing so by projecting a “I am your superior, heed my orders” tone of voice. Unfortunately for her, she pinged two things I dislike a lot: My number one peeve is being accused of lying/doing something I did not do. If you seriously want to get on my bad side, pull that shit off but then be ready for the verbal downfall is about to rain on you. The next thing was to chide me and talk to me like I was her ex-husband (Pink Floyd comes to mind with “When they got home at night. Their fat and psychopathic wives would thrash them. Within inches of their lives.” ) because the only person who was ever allowed to treat me like that was the one who gave me life and she is no longer with us.

But wait, there is more. After the berating accusation was laid, she went on to demand that I stop my current service and to perform the other one first. I had to do my best not to laugh out loud, explained her that the first service was cancelled and if she wanted to have it re-instated, to call the Company and re-schedule it soonest since I would be in the neighborhood after I finished with the current one I was doing. Nope, she would not accept that and I insisted she call because it was out of my powers to do otherwise. While she is having her tantrum, the people on this department I am servicing are just staring dumbfounded. I asked if I can go ahead and finish the service already started and Ms. Harpy on the phone with Company berates a negative even though this is not in her department! I just stood there waiting, blank face for another 30 seconds and repeated my request. At this time Harpy Two shows up as back up for Harpy One and repeats a lighter version of the accusations. I don’t think I even replied. Harpy One rejoins the interaction but apparently fails to mention that conversations with Company did not produce the instant results she wanted. Now both are engaged on a verbal outpour against my alleged irresponsibility and accusing me of lying once again. By this time I realized that neither one of them had actually been present at the time of the first service, so they do not have direct knowledge of what happened or how it happened. My mouth just shot one round.

“I believe you are trying to pin this on me because you are trying to cover up your inefficiency. Sorry, I will not allow it.”

Holy fuck! Their faces could noy have been more shocked even if they were slapped with a cathedral door. I did not yell, I did not scream but it was a forceful and final tone of voice. Harpy Two recovered first and demanded my name, I just pulled on my ID hanging from my lapel and extended it to her. She immediately backed off and accused me of being aggressive while demanding once again my name. By this time I figured out these idiots were playing some sort of script on “how to deal with people we don’t like according to Human Resources instructional Bullshit” and decided to play their games back at them: I said my name in a clear loud voice and with the full Hispanic pronunciation. Horror struck faces when they realized that two Empowered White females were trying to impose their White Privilege on a poor Hispanic senior just trying to make ends meet. (Fuck ‘em, two can play this game, we have more experience and shit-load-less guilt)

Harpy One tried to make the weak point that she was not comfortable with me finishing my service there because I showed “aggressive” tendencies, but found zero support from the rest of her colleagues, at most a couple of people gesturing “don’t get me involved in this shit.”¹ Both Harpies left to their departments without saying a word, I finished my service and apologized to those still around for having seen what they saw and the delay on this particular service.

I gave the briefest of warnings to Company about the Harpies and went about the rest of my day. So far, no invitations to drop by Company’s HR for a chat.

I believe that these two women must have attended some sort of Female Empowerment Seminar where they were taught how to face Male Supremacists with aggressive assertion of their Womanhood and just being overall bitches. I believe they may even had done some roleplaying with a male who was properly advised to provide a positive response to the “assertions” and be a surrendering meek to make sure the attending females left the seminar feeling good.

Feeling.

Bad news: The script fell apart when they found a male who stood his ground and returned fire. That was not in their seminar notes, apparently.

And one more thing: This whole issue and shit show could have been avoided if Harpy One would have approached me and asked politely what happened and if there was a way to get things sorted out. I would have gone beyond my call to find a suitable accommodation and try to make everybody, if not happy, at least content with an agreeable solution.

She chose vinegar rather than honey.

1. I have been providing services to this location for 2+ years and the old timers know me well and my level of politeness and professionalism. They know the rules we abide by and also know we try to be as fleaxible when circumstances allow.