By Amandla Karungi

She walked through the front door of our office strutting in as if it was her own.

“I hope your sister is not coming too,” I said to her in greeting. “How many of you shall we have here?”

She had a car of her own. I was not very impressed by it. It should have been a nicer one. Couldn’t she drive a Benz at least? Some days when she had errands to run, I saw her enter her father’s car and haughtily drive away. What was wrong with hers? I passed by her desk one day. She practically had her own office. I mean, it was the office library but it might as well have been her own. Her desk was so dirty that I had to tell the Receptionist of my findings. She had four files on her desk, all open!

I was told that sometime back she received more money than was due to her. I heard that she was told off firmly, “Make sure you bring us back our balance!” If it had been me, I swear I would have added, ” If you think this office is yours.” What was so funny though, was that time when we handed out gifts at the Christmas party and did not call her name. It made my year.

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On the day they shifted her upstairs to where the other employees sit, I sent her back down with her files and pencil case. I told her that, that room was reserved for only well qualified employees. I put her in her place. That is why I asked her in the first office meeting she attended.

“Are you going back?”

“Where?” she replied, confused.

As if she had not heard!

I said, “Are you going back or are you going to work here?”

Her blank stare made me chuckle. I hope she got the point. These people who study outside the country think they are better than us! The truth is they go away because they are not intelligent. We all knew that she wasn’t as qualified as the rest of us.

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Last Monday, someone sent an office email congratulating her upon receiving some sort of Academic award in her University. “How does this concern me?” I replied. Let me tell you one thing. Being successful in class does not guarantee that you will be successful in life.

Personally, I will make sure she never gets a single piece of work from me. She’s probably here to spy on us.

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I was forced to work with her on an assignment. I could say she had some influence in our success but I have been here longer than she has. She must respect the hierarchy. If ever I am forced to work with her again, I will make sure that I keep her like a cat chasing its own shadow.