Another corporate tale...
Everyone knew Camila, an IT employee, was a neurotic and had a mania for persecution, but everyone agreed that she had crossed the line when she almost freaked out for the promotion of an intern from another sector. To make matters worse, Camila could not keep it just for her:
-Then, they’ll place him through the finance department. There, Luis, who already trained in 1986 for HR, changes department. The newly hired HR has been a computer technician before this job. That is it! They’ll fire me from IT.
Sometimes she exaggerated without care for the hearer: Camila had awkward conspiracy theories. She thought the “system” was self-managed and self-sufficient. According to her theory, in her own words:
-So, company A has a stake in Company B. And Company B has a stake in Company C. And Company C has a stake in Company A. Obviously it’s not just that, it’s more complex.
No one cared for Camila. Even though, she would never give up.
Camila would talk about it to anyone, without the slightest shame or any restraint on the listener’s opinion. She always took for granted someone’s ears without even asking if he could be there. This time it was Jorginho, the janitor. He calmly said:
-Complex? As?
-Because we have company D, E and F in the same condition. But it gets even more complicated: Company D may well have a stake in companies A, B or C. Likewise, companies G, H and I. So in the end, all companies are owners of businesses and no one, in the end, owns anything.
-Well, I own this sandwich. Excuse me, Camila, I’ll have lunch.
It was always like this. Camila filled all ears with paranoia and nonsense. Always with hallucinations and persecution mania. With each passing day Camila lost more and more credibility and friends from work.
One day, on the eve of her 29th birthday, Camila could swear she was still a very dear person. It was interesting how she saw scams where there were none, yet she could not see her reflection on a mirror, even if she was to be tied to a chair in front of one. But weeks before her happy day, one by one, Camila interjected, with a playful tone:
-Next week is my birthday. What’s up? What am I gonna get? Are you going to give any gift?
And the weeks passed, other weeks began and the day came. Camila woke up cheerfully, went to work joyfully. But that morning no one remembered to congratulate Camila. Around 10 am, she began to distrust: “No, they must not have forgotten; They cannot have forgotten.” She began to play it stupid to check with one or another throughout the day. A day which, for her, should have been a festive date for everyone:
-Yeah, what a rush, isn’t it? Today is a great day. Do’nt you think?
With an awful reply:
-Yeah, it was hard, I just want this day to end.
No one remembered Camila’s Birthday. She began to suspect that, given people’s apathy for the date that was supposed to have the utmost importance to everyone, people might have planned something. And she quickly imagined they were preparing a surprise party. To her happiness, she opened her e-mail right after lunch. The message invited everyone to a meeting in the large meeting room of the company.
Unfortunately, it was just a routine meeting. The day went on. To each person whispering something, Camila became more and more certain that they were preparing something good for her. Something big! However, as Camila kept asking for one or another, the whispers increased. And more and more they grew.
Toward the end of the day, Camila was already at the peak of curiosity. What would that be, so special that preparation took so long? They were all whispering, some were looking at her and laughing. Camila felt special. She was important to his co-workers. Then Marília, the newly hired HR, came to talk to Camila.
-Camila, do you have a minute?
Camila was just joy. It was time.
-The whole staff was commenting that…
-Yes, it’s a surprise party for me! Thank you! No need!
-Er… No.
-No?
-No. You have misplaced your shoes. You are wearing one shoe of each type. And as much as I consider you boring, I do not think it’s right to laugh at you.
-Ah …
-You should take care not to make the same mistake tomorrow. By the way, congratulations on your birthday. I need to go, I’m in a hurry.
-But what about the party?
-What a party? For you? Ah, well, the best gift I can give you is to help you: for your luck, I really like HR, otherwise I would have taken your place in IT after the internship in finance.
Camila did not want to party anymore. Damn it that she was not important to anyone: one of her theories was correct. Or not, after all, could be mere kind words from Marília…
