As you all know, I’ve been having problems off and on at work with one of my supervisors... we’ll call her Betty Boop. Things appeared to get better between us, but that’s only because I made the conscious choice to keep things peaceful. I’m a firm believer in trying to get along with everyone, but some people just don’t know how to coexist without conflict.
They show up smiling, speak sweetly, and still carry animosity like a concealed weapon. They’ll pretend to “team-build” while simultaneously tearing someone down. That’s not my nature. I don’t walk in with malice; I walk in with purpose. But Betty Boop? She came with a mission — and it wasn’t work-related.
From the very beginning, she was a pest. Constantly calling the manager about everything I did, sending unnecessary emails to all the other supervisors and our manager, and trying to paint me as a problem. The truth? She was abusing her power.
The Quiet War Nobody Saw
Over the past year, I learned — straight from another supervisor, Ms. D — that Betty had been intentionally trying to sabotage me. Writing me up for things no one else was being written up for. Holding me to standards that weren’t even applied to the other shifts.
I became her obsession. Every move I made was under her microscope. It got so bad that I’d second-guess myself before even leaving the room to use the restroom. because somehow, something as small as breathing wrong could turn into a “violation.”
Ms. D eventually saw what I had been enduring. She said plainly: “She’s picking with you on purpose.”
And I knew it. But hearing it confirmed out loud? That’s when I realized... I wasn’t paranoid. I was being targeted.
So, when Betty finally left our shift about two weeks ago, the atmosphere shifted. The whole room felt lighter. You could feel the tension dissolve. Everyone noticed it. We finally had peace.
The Birthday Nonsense
Then came her birthday. Everyone texted her to wish her a happy birthday — and so I did too. Nothing deep. Just professional courtesy.
Next thing I know, she’s upset that I had her number.
Mind you, it’s required that we have our supervisors’ contact information for compliance reasons. Especially on the overnight shift when only one person might be in the room to answer calls. Betty herself once told me, “Call me if anything happens.” Except she never even gave me her number.
So when I asked Ms. D for it just to send a simple happy birthday text, I thought nothing of it. But apparently, that simple act of decency offended her (Betty Boop).
This morning, I ran into her at shift change. She looked at me and asked, “Who gave you my number?” I told her the truth ...Ms. D did.
Her response was Just a tight “oh.” But the look said it all.. that passive-aggressive, irritated silence that speaks volumes.
So I called Ms. D by phone after clocking out, and let her know what happened. Even on her off day, she said, “This isn’t the first time I’ve heard something like this.”
Imagine that.,an entire pattern of petty grievances built around my existence.
The Mental Corruption of Power
This is all about control.
When someone like Betty loses the power to manipulate, they start grasping for scraps of authority, turning small things into scandals just to feel relevant.
You can’t claim professionalism while being fueled by pettiness. You can’t lead while your heart is infected with jealousy, insecurity, and ego. That’s corruption of the mind... not the kind that steals money, but the kind that rots spirit.
Betty wants to be seen as friendly and competent when the bosses are watching, but when they're not around, she becomes the enforcer of chaos. She’ll play humble when called out, but we all know: that’s not humility... That's her level up strategy.
When Peace Becomes a Threat
I learned something from this entire ordeal: peace threatens people who depend on dysfunction.
My calm exposed her chaos. My friendliness made her discomfort visible. My silence forced her to wrestle with her own noise.
I don’t need revenge; I need peace. And if peace exposes someone, then peace did its job.
I could take this to HR and end her employment, but I won’t ...not because I’m afraid, but because I understand restraint is its own form of power. I will, however, go to the manager and document this pattern. Accountability is not cruelty; it’s correction.
So, Betty Boop, if you ever read this. . understand this truth:
You can keep your false smiles and your shallow authority. You can blame your mood on astrology, on being a Libra, or on whatever makes you feel justified. But what you can’t blame is the choice to be petty when you could be peaceful.
Because at the end of the day, corruption isn’t always in the system, sometimes it’s in the mind.
And I refuse to let that kind of energy corrupt mine.
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