Susan, 61, endured disrespect when Mark, a colleague, maliciously toppled her mop bucket and belittled her efforts. Despite HR disregarding her complaints, Susan, supported by her husband Jack, decided to take action against Mark’s bullying behavior.
Susan appreciated her job for the supplementary income and flexible schedule, which allowed her more time with our grandchildren and to pursue her passion for reading. Unfortunately, her workplace became a source of significant distress.
One day, Susan came home visibly upset. Immediately noticing, I asked, “Susan, what’s wrong?”
She sighed and sat beside me, “You won’t believe what happened at work today, Jack.”
“Tell me what happened,” I urged.
She took a deep breath, “I was mopping the hallway floor, minding my own business. Suddenly, I heard Mr. Thompson, the company manager, yelling at someone for missing a deadline and costing the company a sponsor.”
“That sounds intense,” I commented, prompting her to continue.
“It was,” she affirmed. “The yelling was so loud that even passersby stopped. Then, this man, looking furious, stormed out of the office.”
“And what did you do?” I inquired, concerned.
“I kept mopping, trying to stay out of his way. But he approached me and kicked over my bucket of water,” she explained.
“He did what?” I exclaimed, incredulously.
“Yes, he knocked over the bucket, and dirty water went everywhere. It even seeped into the neighboring offices,” she recounted, her voice shaking.
“That’s awful! What did you do then?” I asked.
“I started cleaning up immediately. But then he yelled at me, ‘What a klutz! You’re so old, you can’t even mop the floor right?’ And then he just walked off,” Susan shared, the hurt evident in her voice.
“That’s unacceptable, Susan. Did anyone help you?” I asked, feeling her frustration.
“No, Jack. People from the nearby offices came out and told me to clean up the mess. They thought I had made it,” she said sadly.
“Did you explain what happened?” I pressed.