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Small Town office dilemma


BringBackFergy

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3 hours ago, Marv's Neighbor said:

Have her whacked! 

 

I’m surprised that took so long! I was thinking a sniper. I mean, hypothetically of course. 

 

Sometimes you just need to have the difficult talk and be 100% frank. If it’s sugar coated it won’t sink in. I’ve had to deal with some stuff like that (friends and/or family members dropping by, etc.) and each situation is a little different, but “it’s a place of work. Please respect that”. 

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I somewhat wonder if the person the OP is describing might have Autism or Asperger's.  I mean it sounds like she has some traits:  

 

For example not picking up on social cues at all.  I'd imagine most people can take subtle hints that aren't readily apparent to this individual.

Talking about only limited things- things in the town

Talking way too much

 

I don't know just throwing that out there.  There's some good advise in the thread.  

 

 

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8 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

There's this one lady that walks in off the street and talks to my secretaries for 20-30 minutes every other day or so...it's soooo frustrating. My office is upstairs and I can hear her talk and talk about stuff around town.

 

My secretaries try their best to "politely" break the conversation but she keeps going. I've even called my own office phone number on my cell phone upstairs, it rings through and one secretary answers the phone (to indicate she's busy) but she continues talking to the other secretary.

 

One of my secretaries has hidden under her desk when she sees her coming across the street to my office. The other runs to the bathroom. She announces her appearance and then I go down and talk with her for ten mins until the phone rings (from my secretary on her cell phone under her desk) and it is dead silence. I have to pretend I'm talking to someone. She waits for three or four minutes until I start jotting down notes on paper indicating the call will take awhile.

 

She's also a doorway diddler: "Well, just thought I'd stop in and give you an update. I have to go now...(door halfway open and cold air rushes in)....ohh, I forgot to tell you, the town is planning a....blah, blah, blah"

 

I may need some advice on how best to stop this treachery. Any other horror stories out there like this one?

Do you know a good lawyer?

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Here’s another idea: Next to your front door, install a sliding glass window.  Call it the “answer window”. Answers at the window are free.  If someone sets a foot through your door, they need to pay you a consultation fee.  

 

Employ this gadfly at the window.  Give her a sash to wear.  It can say “Ms. Information”.

 

 

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9 hours ago, DC Tom said:

 

Find out where she lives, show up at her home every evening for half an hour and talk her ear off.

She might actually like that because she is probably lonely and looking for human contact.

2 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

She is neither a client or hairdresser. She is relatively new to the community (but grew up here years ago and moved back three years ago). She is now a self-proclaimed socialite (if announcing who danced with who at the Harvestfest constitutes social announcements). 

Does she have money? You could always try to become her 'boy toy' and she could be your 'sugar mama', I'm sure after a short while she will get tired of you and never show up again.......

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3 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I’m surprised that took so long! I was thinking a sniper. I mean, hypothetically of course. 

 

Sometimes you just need to have the difficult talk and be 100% frank. If it’s sugar coated it won’t sink in. I’ve had to deal with some stuff like that (friends and/or family members dropping by, etc.) and each situation is a little different, but “it’s a place of work. Please respect that”. 

Someone with no convictions?

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3 hours ago, Another Fan said:

I somewhat wonder if the person the OP is describing might have Autism or Asperger's.  I mean it sounds like she has some traits:  

 

For example not picking up on social cues at all.  I'd imagine most people can take subtle hints that aren't readily apparent to this individual.

Talking about only limited things- things in the town

Talking way too much

 

I don't know just throwing that out there.  There's some good advise in the thread.  

 

 

Very possible. That’s why I’m trying to use the “friendly” approach. 

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12 hours ago, snafu said:

Loudly ring a cowbell every time she opens her mouth to speak.

If you do this long enough, she will get frustrated and stop coming by.

 

...Or actually, go back and revisit all of the great advice you gave way back when in that "my cats are peeing everywhere" advise thread.  Maybe there's something you can take from that which will do the trick.

 

I was thinking of something like this.....

 

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6 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

Very possible. That’s why I’m trying to use the “friendly” approach. 

All joking aside.  It's a small town, special place and you hold a prominent place in its structure.

 

If she is of special needs... Look to creative ways about the situation. Look outside the box.  Is it so bad that you're part of her journey?  Is she really negatively affecting your business.  Scaring people away?  Can you live with it?

 

"The impeded stream is the one that sings."

~Wendell Berry

 

http://quixoteconsulting.com/Blog/2012/06/04/the-impeded-stream-is-the-one-that-sings-wendell-berry-on-not-knowing-what-to-do/

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
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1 hour ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

All joking aside.  It's a small town, special place and you hold a prominent place in its structure.

 

If she is of special needs... Look to creative ways about the situation. Look outside the box.  Is it so bad that you're part of her journey?  Is she really negatively affecting your business.  Scaring people away?  Can you live with it?

 

"The impeded stream is the one that sings."

~Wendell Berry

 

http://quixoteconsulting.com/Blog/2012/06/04/the-impeded-stream-is-the-one-that-sings-wendell-berry-on-not-knowing-what-to-do/

You’re right (did I just say that?). She’s sweet as pie and completely harmless. That’s why it’s tough for me (and the ladies downstairs) to come right out and say “See ya...you need to leave” after five minutes. 
 

By the way - the library is straight across Main Street. I seriously think she waits in there and watches for her chance to make the 50 yard sojourn to my office. 

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6 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

You’re right (did I just say that?). She’s sweet as pie and completely harmless. That’s why it’s tough for me (and the ladies downstairs) to come right out and say “See ya...you need to leave” after five minutes. 
 

By the way - the library is straight across Main Street. I seriously think she waits in there and watches for her chance to make the 50 yard sojourn to my office. 

 

You hear that a lot in the aftermath of murders I believe.

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8 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

You’re right (did I just say that?). She’s sweet as pie and completely harmless. That’s why it’s tough for me (and the ladies downstairs) to come right out and say “See ya...you need to leave” after five minutes. 
 

By the way - the library is straight across Main Street. I seriously think she waits in there and watches for her chance to make the 50 yard sojourn to my office. 

They probably kick her out of there?  At wife's library... It's medium sized town... About 20k people... There are some real dousy's.   Mostly harmless, some homeless... Some have to be banned when they don't take their meds.

 

 

Oh... BTW... I met my wife working at the BECPL... LoL... Look how that turned out!

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20 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

Instruct your admins to tell this woman that they were recently chastised by the boss for spending too much time with personal conversations at the expense of work and she will get them both in hot water.

I agree with this.  Blame it on the damn corporate office cracking down.

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