Accusations

A few Fridays ago, I helped a coworker to the urgent care after he hurt his back at work.  I held his hand while he cried, and helped him with paperwork etc.  He hasn’t always been the model employee.  Unbeknownst to him, he was even in range to be fired at one point.  Now that he’s hurt his back, gossip is rampant that he probably faked it.  When someone has the balls to say this to my face, I insist that I was there, and he really was hurt.  One individual today said to me that they are sure he would lie to me.  This has sent my emotions into a boiling rage. 

When I was a teenager, I lived in an uncomfortable household situation.  I was often accused of actions I hadn’t even considered, much less committed.  I found it hard not to fall into the mindset, if I’m paying the consequences of actions I haven’t committed, then I might as well commit those actions.  Thankfully, in my life I had a wonderful lady who experienced a similar (and worse) situation in her teenage years.  She explained to me that because of that situation, she had made a personal choice to never accuse anyone of anything without proof.  I also decided to adopt this policy. 

I think that’s part of it.  The likelihood of his back injury being fake is just small.  And if he isn’t faking, how shitty is it for people to spread the rumor that he is probably faking it.  I just find this cruel, petty, and uncalled for.

I think I’m irritated for an entirely selfish reason also.  The person who said this to me today often has conversations with me that leave me wondering what he is trying to get out of me.  He has mentioned that women need to be mentally stimulated, and he makes a point to often talk to me about my day, and flirt with me even though he is married.  It probably is very innocent…  but if he thinks that this back injury is fake, and I was most definitely lied to…  it makes me wonder if he sees me as gullible and easily manipulated.  I think this reflects his own feelings more than the man with the back injury.