Sunday, 15 September 2019

Beauty is only skin deep

In early July, when she came for an interview and I saw her in passing only, I thought they are about hire another manager. Having looked at her legs I said to myself I could work under her (in case anybody wondered what that post was inspired by).

She joined my team (i.e. the one I work in, not the one I am in charge of, for avoidance of doubt) in August as a junior analyst. As a next year’s graduate, she has some way to go before she becomes a self-supporting team member. By that time the workload she takes off other workmates is offset by more experienced employees’ time sacrificed to teach her. No wonder, this is called an investment in human capital. Nearly a decade ago some people, whom I am grateful today, have invested in me.

She had had an internship last year in another department, then had a break and returned to my team. She can boast to be in the first decile of best students of the same university I have graduated from, so the managers thought she is a very promising candidate.

In terms of background, I believe she is OK. Her energy and positive attitude resemble me at such age (i.e. in 2010) will keep her company for a while, then the ruthless corporation will suck it out of her. In terms of behaviour, from the first hours, she has been extremely bold, including asking people personal questions and openly flirting with me (after two weeks of attempts and being confronted with my humorous, yet firm retorts she has not completely given up on, yet reduced frequency of ambiguous chats).

What she is like? Tall, skinny, figure of a model, dyed blonde hear, tonnes of make-up on face (a thick layer of powder and vivid-red lipstick). Her behaviour is anything but natural not straightforward. She plays out roles all the time, every her word, movement, smile, look seems carefully planned.

Whether she’s beautiful? Either I can’t tell, because I have never seen her without make-up (somehow I don’t long for it) or just she does not square with my definition of a beautiful woman who is beautiful without make-up.

My female colleagues dislike her. Not because they envy her a model’s look, but since they see her duplicity and mistrust her. She is anything but trustworthy, so we all watch our words while she is around.

Male workmates at first salivated at her sight, after a month they make laugh of her. Quick change of mind boys in the office have exhibited lifts my spirit. We have all realised she is looking out for a new cash machine. She met her current boyfriend while having the aforementioned internship, therefore she could not return to her previous workplace. My capacity to become a cash machine are decent, yet my motivation is close to zero (I am considering the “money in exchange for sex” arrangement).

One evening I thought about printing out the motto of the fellow blogger: UNDERSTAND YOUR BIOLOGY. THEN RISE ABOVE. But on second thoughts I concluded this would be too provocative, through bright.

In the meantime our manager is committed to be her mentor and coach and spends lots of time teaching her (taking that undesired load off backs of team members). Sadly, folks around the floor have noticed it and his engrossment in taking care of the new employee is a topic of gossips and jokes in nooks and crannies of the office… To make it clear, I do not think he would go beyond professional framework of this relationship, but the very fact an attractive young girl sees him as seasoned manager boosts his ego.

Life’s a whore…

After one turns 30, when the ticking of the clock is more audible people tend to go into two extremes. Either they raise the bar too high and no potential partner can meet their exorbitant requirements or they lower their expectations overly and get involved into middling relationships. This reminds me of one sink-or-swim decision I should take…

1 comment:

Michael Dembinski said...

The ticking clock for men? Mid- to late 50s, mate! No worries!

"Sex for security." No problem with that, as long as you're not being taken for the frajer