Hey so…
I work in a supermarket part-time. The job isn’t overly demanding but I’m dedicated and management really appreciate me.
But about 6 months ago they got this new Dairy manager in (but they have him rotated throughout meat and fresh produce as well). He’s super stoic, grumpy, gruff, and a man of very few words. He looks & behaves a lot like the actor Steve McQueen. And is always smoking out in the parking lot.
Before he arrived I was told some bad things about him by another co-worker who no longer works here (but who knew him when they both worked at another store together).
I was told that whatever I do… **Do not trust Steve McQueen**. He apparently used to work as a prison guard in a high-security penitentiary (if that gives you an idea to his disposition). But that he’s also not afraid to stab people in the back (metaphorically) and will do so. **Stay away from Steve McQueen.**
Then there’s me… I basically look a lot like twenty-something Paul Walker. Blond, young, and care-free. I’ve always got a smile on my face and I’m always seen laughing and socializing with people. I’m very well-liked at work but I can tell this guy already hates my guts.
Which is entirely his prerogative. We’re all entitled to our own opinions and what he thinks of me really isn’t any of my business. I only mention it though because it’s very apparent.
And for the most part I didn’t think this would be too much of a problem. He seemed to stay out of my hair aside from the occasional gruff glances or resentment. I’ve seen him look over at me a few times (if looks could kill) whenever I’ve been talking to other co-workers (as if he thinks I’m not working). Which isn’t any of his business but he looks like he wants to punch me in the face whenever this happens.
But lately some bizarre situations have occurred and I’m not sure how to deal with them exactly. For example, I was filling the shelves in the meat department the other day and he randomly came up to me and began lecturing me on rotation as if he thought this was m first day of work and I probably don’t know how to do my job. Which is weird… Because I’ve been here before him. But I just nodded blankly and said thanks.
Then last week he came into my department to drop off some of our load. Out of courtesy and general decency, I thanked him by name for doing that, and he just made some sneering noise and walked off like someone who wanted to spit tobacco on me (okay).
Then today, I noticed a lot of the items in my department’s cool room are not actually ours (they’re per-packaged sausages from the meat department). It’s him that’s doing it negligently. And it’s been happening for a while too and usually I just discreetly drop them back off in the meat department because it really isn’t that big of a deal…
But today when I went into the meat department to return them he was in the meat department working directly in front of the cool room door that I needed access to. So instead of physically picking him up and relocating him temporarily so that I could get to the door… I simply said with a friendly tone, *”Hey Steve, are these from meat department?”* and held up the sausages for him to see.
He didn’t even bother to look up at what I was holding but gingerly goes ”Nup…”
So I’m standing there awkwardly with an uncooperative Steve McQueen who is still in my way, but has just told me they’re not his sausages. And at this point I’m now starting to doubt myself (maybe they’re from Dairy). Do I really want to get into an argument with this guy over sausages?…
So I just awkwardly walked back to my own department and left them there.
But clearly it isn’t just me… This dude has an issue with me. And I’m not sure what to do at this stage.