"Ring the Alarum Bell !"

Most people eventually learn to heed a warning.

I was knocked down by a car when I was 13, so to this day I never cross a road without looking both ways. I know that if I am about to pick up my hair irons, it is quite a good idea to look at where my hand is about to land before I do so. And that if I am planning to walk any distance, I need to give careful consideration to my choice of footwear..

But Spiteful Manager, despite being investigated for his bullying behaviour towards me back in March, still appears determined to do whatever he can to make my life unpleasant !

It's all a bit bonkers. And very very childish.

He emails several members of our department advising them that they need to deal with the things they still have in the "overflow" room, following our recent office move - otherwise said items will be disposed of. Which is fine, except that I am one of the people who still has things in the overflow room. Yet I am the only person who hasn't been sent the email.

Instead, Spiteful Manager stomps around the office, making repeated references to "she" and "her" (that's ME, folks!) accompanied by a few unflattering adjectives, and complaining that I haven't moved my things. One of his team says politely "why don't you just email Katharine and remind her?" and Spiteful Manager says "she got the first email a week ago, so she knows full well she has to move her things." He neglects to mention that everyone else has warranted a reminder...

Spiteful Manager then cannot resist saying "I am going to throw all HER stuff away, first thing Monday". Maternal Colleague points out that some of "her" stuff includes some extremely important records pertaining to a bid. "I don't care about that!" snaps Spiteful Manager. "I am going to throw the whole lot away".

How do I know all this, given that I have been spending 90% of my time in the sanctuary of my off-site office, far far away from horrible managerial specimens like the one I am describing....?

Because Spiteful Manager's own team loathe him so much, that not one, but three of them contact me individually; to warn me that he is on the rampage !!!

I dislike playing games. But on Friday, I do what I was always planning to do anyway - except that I wait until 5.30pm to do it. I go over to the Town Hall, having been advised by my numerous confidants that Spiteful Manager has now buggered off for the day. And I spend the next hour moving all my items into a place of safety, leaving only empty crates - their flaps gaping wide to reveal the delightful vacuums within.

I forget all about this episode until I happen to have a chat with one of Spiteful Manager's team late on Monday. "He was in a very bad mood this morning!" I am told. "The first thing he did was go into the overflow office. I think he was a bit pissed off that you had somehow managed to move your stuff after all".

I appreciate that in the great scheme of things, this is not an example of unmitigated tyranny, but it IS an excellent example of Spiteful Manager's immaturity and malice. And also an excellent example of why I am never able to relax and feel safe at work for one single second.

And here's another thing.
Spiteful Manager is paid over £70,000 to behave like this.
Blimey O'Reilly.