The Rabid Veterinarian, Chapter 2

This was absolutely the longest 6 months of my life even though I did enjoy what I was actually doing. So it was really disappointing when it didn't work out personality-wise.  Plus, the young techs who worked there were so inexperienced in the work arena that they didn't even think it was wrong to be talked to in such a way.  One woman who was older (in her 50's) did finally leave after 2 years of being verbally abused by the doctor.  She finally moved to Bakersfield to get as far away from that man as possible.  During the 2 years she was there he had blamed her for the death of some of the animals (he had to blame someone other than himself - even though no one was really to blame); promoted her, demoted her (punishment for omitting a job from of her resume that he had somehow found out about - is this legal?) and even yelled at her granddaughter one day when she came in to volunteer.  What is an employee supposed to do when they really need a job and can't find anything else, especially when the hours they work don't allow them any free time to look?
  
I shared an office with a man who would yell at me for not capping my pens and then started throwing them at me when he'd find one uncapped.  We also shared a private bathroom that was connected to our tiny office space.  Another area where I wasn't perfect enough.  I'll admit that I have a habit of leaving the toilet lid up when I complete nature's call.  That used to send him through the roof and I never did it on purpose or with the intention of making him crazy!!  So one day, as if attempting to train me like one of his dogs, he didn't lift the seat when he urinated: Tell me, was that less, equally or more disgusting than my not remembering to put down the lid?  My actions were never malicious or deliberate.  It wasn't a conspiracy to drive him over the edge. What about his actions: was this intentional or 'just' an oversight.....?  Could this be construed as an OSHA issue (I could have slipped off the seat and hit my head on the sink) or a medical one (what disease could I have caught if I had actually sat down)?  This was the epitome of DISGUSTING-ness!!

 I'm getting pissed off.  I'll have to continue this tomorrow.

The Rabid Veterinarian, Chapter 1

It seems as if I've gotten off track with my blog. My original plan was to share either humorous or horror stories (or humorous horror stories in some cases) about our previous jobs, bosses, supervisors and coworkers. So today I will begin with the rabid veterinarian I worked for a few years back.

I was so elated when I was hired as an Office Manager for a local veterinarian. I had always wanted to work around cats and dogs so thought this would be a fantastic gig. Even though I had my doubts when I initially arrived for the "group" interview where we were required to take a lengthy personality test: I was desperate for a real job so I stayed and mustered through all 50 or so pages. The doctor seemed to have a great sense of humor and the office had a good feel to it. Well, that fantasy was short lived.

Since it was a very small, one-man practice, we shared a tiny office (about 10'x10'), which also doubled as the caretakers living quarters at night, an old computer and a phone. Oh, and did I forget to mention that his boxer and pit bull also shared this space. Since the boxer wasn't well trained, he was kept on a leash tethered to a futon. Needless to say, I tripped on that leash almost daily and the Dr. put the blame on me for not being careful enough. (Didn't he ever hear of OSHA?) So you might say, well, you were the Office Manager, why didn't you complain to OSHA or Workman's Comp; I wanted to keep my job.

Eventually, it became like a bad marriage. He became verbally abusive and when I would defend myself it would get even worse.