Outburst

So I accidentally created a stir around here Friday, apparently. Well, semi-accidentally.

At 6:18pm I stood up and made an announcement to everyone within earshot. Paraphrasing myself, to the best of my memory here:

"I have a date with my wife tonight. We have the kids with a sitter until 10pm. My logs are done, my future inventory is in great shape, I'm 36 years old, and I'm leaving 12 minutes early. If anyone wants to rat me out for it, you can kiss my butt."

A coworker asked something like, "What, back up... rat you out?"

And I said, "Yes, it's happened before." I was glaring at the back of the head of the person who did it in August (for my birthday date no less; that little departure got me written up).

So I was out yesterday to care for Kevin, and I arrived this morning to hear three people tell me they'd heard (or heard about) my "outburst" Friday. They said that when I was out yesterday they had to wonder what the status of my employment was.

They also said they admired me for doing it.

I appreciate that, but what I take from this is an even heartier disdain for corporate bullshit, like being a slave to a time clock, regardless of what the realities of one's work output are. You should see the look of fear in their eyes as they whisper to me about it. I guess it's not unique to my office, but God, isn't this a pathetic work environment?