Harmony, what, now?
Okay, so this incident does absolutely nothing to promote harmony in the workplace, and yet I cannot regret it.
The way my boss collects lesson fees from the students is to give me an envelope, I give it to the student, the student puts money in the envelope, returns it to me, I sign and date the envelope, and leave it in my boss's office behind an unlocked door.
This week, she left a huge pile of envelopes in my classroom, thoughtfully sorted out by day (that's a first). I put them all into the respective notebooks (so that when I use the notebook, I will remember to give the students their envelopes, although this is not a foolproof system this week as lesson plans consist of those fucking speeches).
Fastforward to my first class today, in which a student who usually comes Monday comes for a makeup lesson. I give her the envelope from her notebook, which has ANOTHER envelope inside it. Student takes out the second envelope, which is some change from a test fee she paid last month. THen she looks inside the class fee envelope, which contains her lesson fee from the previous month.
Student: o.O??
Nalan: ...o.O???
Student: What...?
Nalan: Uh. I got nothing.
Student: Maybe she forgot to take it out last month.
Nalan: Is there a note?
Student: No?
Nalan: Uh. Well. I'll ask Ms. Hayashi and get back to you on Monday.
Fastforward again to boss coming downstairs.
Nalan: ::esplains that there was still monies in the envelope::
Boss: ...o.o?
Nalan: We think it's maybe last month's lesson fee that didn't get taken out of the envelope?
Boss: So you made a mistake.
Now, I know that I did not leave the envelope in the notebook FOR A MONTH. I use that notebook. I would have noticed. Furthermore, there was the OTHER envelope in there with the cash containing the change from the exam fee with a note to that effect in my boss's handwriting. The only explanation? My boss not only failed to remove the lesson fee from the envelope, she also failed to notice it was in there when she inserted the second envelope.
Returning to the conversation.
Nalan: ::knows that she did not leave the fucking thing in there for a month and is therefore not in the wrong but cannot insist this without sounding like an asshole and suddenly remembers the change from the exam:: Uh, there was also an envelope in there with change from the eiken fee?
Boss: What? There was a second envelope with her name on it?
Nalan: No, another envelope was INSIDE the monthly fee envelope, along WITH the cash. Was that change for her exam fee? Was I supposed to give that back to her?
Boss: Yes, it was change for the exam fee. Did you give it to her?
Nalan: Yes, I did.
Boss: And where is the money that was in the envelope?
Nalan: On your desk.
Boss: Good.
Nalan: :D :D :D
I know, I know, promoting harmony and getting along with my Japanese boss means that I should swallow my pride and apologize even when I'm clearly nowhere near the wrong. But still. :D
The way my boss collects lesson fees from the students is to give me an envelope, I give it to the student, the student puts money in the envelope, returns it to me, I sign and date the envelope, and leave it in my boss's office behind an unlocked door.
This week, she left a huge pile of envelopes in my classroom, thoughtfully sorted out by day (that's a first). I put them all into the respective notebooks (so that when I use the notebook, I will remember to give the students their envelopes, although this is not a foolproof system this week as lesson plans consist of those fucking speeches).
Fastforward to my first class today, in which a student who usually comes Monday comes for a makeup lesson. I give her the envelope from her notebook, which has ANOTHER envelope inside it. Student takes out the second envelope, which is some change from a test fee she paid last month. THen she looks inside the class fee envelope, which contains her lesson fee from the previous month.
Student: o.O??
Nalan: ...o.O???
Student: What...?
Nalan: Uh. I got nothing.
Student: Maybe she forgot to take it out last month.
Nalan: Is there a note?
Student: No?
Nalan: Uh. Well. I'll ask Ms. Hayashi and get back to you on Monday.
Fastforward again to boss coming downstairs.
Nalan: ::esplains that there was still monies in the envelope::
Boss: ...o.o?
Nalan: We think it's maybe last month's lesson fee that didn't get taken out of the envelope?
Boss: So you made a mistake.
Now, I know that I did not leave the envelope in the notebook FOR A MONTH. I use that notebook. I would have noticed. Furthermore, there was the OTHER envelope in there with the cash containing the change from the exam fee with a note to that effect in my boss's handwriting. The only explanation? My boss not only failed to remove the lesson fee from the envelope, she also failed to notice it was in there when she inserted the second envelope.
Returning to the conversation.
Nalan: ::knows that she did not leave the fucking thing in there for a month and is therefore not in the wrong but cannot insist this without sounding like an asshole and suddenly remembers the change from the exam:: Uh, there was also an envelope in there with change from the eiken fee?
Boss: What? There was a second envelope with her name on it?
Nalan: No, another envelope was INSIDE the monthly fee envelope, along WITH the cash. Was that change for her exam fee? Was I supposed to give that back to her?
Boss: Yes, it was change for the exam fee. Did you give it to her?
Nalan: Yes, I did.
Boss: And where is the money that was in the envelope?
Nalan: On your desk.
Boss: Good.
Nalan: :D :D :D
I know, I know, promoting harmony and getting along with my Japanese boss means that I should swallow my pride and apologize even when I'm clearly nowhere near the wrong. But still. :D