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2004-04-09 - 7:24 a.m. I'm having a problem with a co-worker. We had an altercation yesterday about the fact that he got in trouble for something and pointed to me and blamed me of the same thing. It was a minor thing but it rankled and so in private I asked him, "Do I look like a shovel to you?" He looked confused and said "What?" So I said, "Don't use me to dig yourself out of a hole." He walked away and started chuckling to himself (I think over the fact that he had gotten to me with his earlier remark) Then in the conference room, when he had an audience he brought it up again. I've figured out that he needs an audience for everything he does. He won't ever come up to me in private and say anything. In any case, he got me to lose my cool in front of everybody - even though the discussion was more or less a draw. (Naturally I thought of what would have been my winning points afterwards) The real problem is that he fosters an air of "Us" against "Them" with respect to the co-workers and him versus me, the office manager, and my boss . My boss can't stand him personally. She's said as much to the office manager. None of us can understand why the co-workers like him since he's such a weasel. So, in any case, I don't have to fear anything from him with respect to her. But how do I break down the barrier he keeps building around the co-workers? I have to work with these people every day. (He is only part time - three days a week - thankfully) Just for an example of what this guy is like, he makes grand generalizations like, "All americans are fat and dress poorly because they don't care about themselves." He is of course not an American and neither are the co-workers. In fact only I, the office manager, and the receptionist are Americans. He also does things like this: We'll all be ordering lunch. He'll claim he's not hungry and not chip in. Then when everyone is eating, he'll finagle a piece of everyone's meals or he'll eat the leftovers when he thinks everyone is done. He doesn't do it because he's lacking money either - the office manager has to constantly nag him to cash his checks. He just doesn't want to pay for anything. Yet the co-workers think he's funny and charming. Incomprehensible. � 
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