LIZZIE'S WORLD: It’s time to address Ciku

Liz needs to get her grown up on and act maturely in order to figure out how to interact with her office nemesis. ILLUSTRATION| JOSEPH NGARI

What you need to know:

  • I am looking for a recommendation and it is in my interest to act profession so I pull myself together and tell him, “Don’t worry, we can be adults. I’ll ask her to fit me in.”
  • He nods, walks into his office and walks out a few minutes later while I despondently head back to mine. Let the workplace adventures begin, I tell myself as I brace myself to do the one thing I have been trying to avoid for a few days: Address Ciku.

Liz needs to get her grown up on and act maturely in order to figure out how to interact with her office nemesis.

“What? You’re leaving the country?” Louise gasps.

“No, not yet,” I laugh. “I haven’t even applied for the job yet, leave alone been accepted for the position. You just might have me continuing to make your life difficult for a while yet!”

But, no matter my factual statement, the look of devastation on Louise’s face does not clear. “Oh no!” she holds her hands up to her face. “Please don’t go.” Then she changes her mind. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t say that. Do what’s best for your career, and I will always support you like you have always supported me.”

“Aww,” I reach across the table for Louise’s hand to give it a friendly pat. “Thank you,” I say. Then I notice the time on my cell phone and gasp. “Lord, it’s quarter past two,” I yelp. “I need to get back to the office.

Jo and I say our goodbyes, and we pile into Jo’s car as Louise waves us off. On the way back to the office, Jo turns to me. “Are you really, really sure you want to move countries?” she asks. “I mean, you could just move jobs to another company.”

“First of all, it’s the same company just a different country, so it should be easy to get the position, no?” I point out. “I mean, things like references and track record will be easy.”

“But you don’t know the lay of the land there and I’ll tell you what, it’s hard to market to a population you don’t know.” “And exactly how much do you know about being a marketer, you lawyer?!” I tease Jo. “Look, people’s motivations are the same around the world. Everyone wants to make money, be happy, look good, have fun. Really, you just need to access these basic needs and then send them your message in a language they understand.”

“Sounds like you will ace that job interview,” Jo says.

“I’m more worried about you and your quest to find your daughter, quite frankly,” I change the topic. “I really hope it all happens before I leave… if I leave.”

“Well, we’re working on it,” Jo says, sounding determined. We have reached the parking lot of my office block, and Jo stops the car to let me out. She turns to me and gives me a hug. “All the best telling Chris about your decision, ok?” She leans back and gives me a knowing look; it’s in reference to the past that Chris and I share, and his likely unwillingness to let me leave as a result of it.

“I’ll handle it,” I say, and then I exit her car and make my way back to my desk. I spend the next two hours or so going through my curriculum vitae with a fine-tooth comb to clean it up. When I am done I figure I should schedule a meeting with Chris to ask him to write me a recommendation for it, but there is just one problem: I will have to as Ciku, my latest sworn enemy, to schedule it, and she is the last person I want to talk to right now. As I am mulling over how to get over that hump – should I call him directly? Just walk into his office unannounced? – I notice him walking into the office, possibly from a long lunch break, and decide to waylay him.

“Do you have a minute for me?” I ask him as I literally jog out of my office to catch up with him and fall into step alongside him.

“Not really, I’m in the middle of a series of meetings,” he says. Then he says the words I have been dreading: “Why don’t you talk to Ciku about setting some time aside for you early next week? Is it urgent?”

I’m sure my face falls when he says that, and then a look of recognition crosses his face. “Ah, yes, I forgot about your kerfuffle. Look, can you two not get along?”

I am looking for a recommendation and it is in my interest to act profession so I pull myself together and tell him, “Don’t worry, we can be adults. I’ll ask her to fit me in.”

He nods, walks into his office and walks out a few minutes later while I despondently head back to mine. Let the workplace adventures begin, I tell myself as I brace myself to do the one thing I have been trying to avoid for a few days: Address Ciku.