Not long now!

I have spoken before of the supercilious bitch (henceforth known as SB) I have the misfortune of dealing with from another department, the one who makes every request sound like an order because she's just so gosh-darned busy and I'm sitting around drinking coffee and doing bugger all (or at least that's the implication).

Today's phone call - ah, if only my colleagues didn't have my direct number! - went one further.

I'm dealing with a situation that's taken a long time to resolve, where there has been a significant amount of delay in getting a resolution but the delays have all been well beyond my control. Unfortunately, the SB does not seem to have fully grasped that this is the case and insists on phoning me regularly to harass me inquire on progress, only to make sad tutting noises when I tell her that I don't have any idea when things will be resolved since they are Out Of My Control. This happens at least once a week, which speaks more about her workload than mine considering SB only works part-time. And if she can't get hold of me, then she harasses phones my manager instead.

Today's phone call was pretty much the same, capped with the comment: "Well, I've had to tell my manager about this". I struggle to grasp what SB expected from me - a sudden admission that it's all been my fault all along that things have been so delayed? Weeping and rending of garments, perhaps, as I promise not to do it again? "And I'm not back now till next Tuesday," SB continued.

"Well, I'll just have to let your manager know if I manage to find anything out," I replied, uncowed by the not-even-subtle attempt to guilt-trip me in some way for stuff that is Out Of My Control. Get a grip, SB! Come out of House of Fraser, you twin-set-and-pearls wearing twit, and smell the coffee!