Current Events > I have this overly helpful co-worker driving me nuts

(+) Yeah! (+)

60 year old guy, been with the company 20 years. He works really hard at his job and he has a huge amount of knowledge, and I hate the fact that sometimes he's the only person to ask.

The conversation will go a bit like this:

Me: Hey Brian do you know where the stapler is?
Brian: Sorry? The stapler?
Me: Yeah, the stapler, where do we keep it?
Brian: Let me come round, hang on a sec.
*walks over dramatically*
Brian: Ok, the stapler. Oh let me tell you all about the stapler. It started back 5 years ago - back then we weren't even stapling documents. Most of our work would end up in just loose piles of paper. Now you can imagine when Johnny would get those papers, he'd say "Gosh look at this mess", and I tell you it was an absolute doozy. What would we do with all these papers? Well, we finally got ourselves a stapler. And it was fine. It was good. It was one of them ones from office works, real good quality build. Metal but with rubber handles, you could press on it comfortably. We had to buy the hd31 heavy duty staples for it mind but it did the job no problemo. But then, that's when Marie started. Now, you've seen Marie. She's about 4ft8 on a good day. Lovely wee lassie. But you know, on the smaller side. Marie kept asking where the stapler is. We couldn't understand it. It's right there on the side! But trouble is, you know what she's like. 4ft8, you know? She couldnae see it! Walked right past it every day, ho ho ho. It was honestly so funny to watch her go by. So we talked about it for a while. Most people were fine, but Marie works in accounts and she really needed the stapler to do most of her work, you know? Ah it was absolutely hysterical, all these loose papers around, Marie walking by not knowing where the stapler is. So, that's when we had the idea to put the stapler somewhere where she could find it. So, we thought, maybe on a desk would be a good idea. If it's on someone's desk everyone could see it. But Frankie pointed out that you couldn't put it on one person's desk, otherwise they might think the stapler belonged to them. So, we thought - right by the printer. That seemed the most natural place for it sure enough. So, now if you look, you'll see it's right there, tucked behind the paper basket.
Me: Ok thanks Bri-
Brian: Ho ho ho, but you can imagine poor wee Marie, walking by that stapler! Really tickled me something fierce. Ho ho ho ho...
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Lmao
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Every time, it's every time
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Just avoid anyone who's worked for the same company for 20 years. Or even 5 years.

Those people aren't even people.

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guy sounds like fun
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If he found the God damn stapler for you then quit fuckin cryin
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Turbam posted...

If he found the God damn stapler for you then quit fuckin cryin

Imagine every question you had ended up in the most boring 5 minute story of your life. Don't act like this wouldn't piss you off after about the 3rd time.

Everyone in my company has various ways of handling Brian. The most successful method is just to sort of walk out of the room as he's talking to you.
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Ho ho ho
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pinky0926 posted...

Turbam posted...

If he found the God damn stapler for you then quit fuckin cryin

Imagine every question you had ended up in the most boring 5 minute story of your life. Don't act like this wouldn't piss you off after about the 3rd time.

Everyone in my company has various ways of handling Brian. The most successful method is just to sort of walk out of the room as he's talking to you.

aw poor fellas just lonely :(
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i know someone like that in my team

been working at BT for 15 years
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I've never had that combination of helpful, rambler and expert all one in. I've had rambling experts who hate helping, helpful experts who aren't ramblers and helpful ramblers who can do low level stuff but by no means experts.
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Our Brian is called Cindy. Its never a simple answer.
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SSJCAT posted...

aw poor fellas just lonely :(

I think so, but he has a wife and 2 kids so I don't feel too badly for him.

KILBOTz posted...

I've never had that combination of helpful, rambler and expert all one in. I've had rambling experts who hate helping, helpful experts who aren't ramblers and helpful ramblers who can do low level stuff but by no means experts.

This is what makes it so difficult. If he was just a rambler you could tune him out. But generally he's the last stop shop for "the thing nobody else seems to know".
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i remember one time when i was just starting a welding training thing, and something about the machine wasn't working, i think the metal wire was stuck or something.

i asked what to do, and that teacher just talked for like 10 minutes, for a problem that can be fixed in a few seconds.
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There's this super nice guy at my work that I sometimes stop myself from making small talk with because he won't stop if you get him talking. There have even been times when I had to take a call and he kept talking even after I told him, until I turned my back and walked away.
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pinky0926 posted...

Every time, it's every time

He sounds great
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Your post was funny, and it sounds a bit frustrating.

However, you do seem to complain a lot, tc.
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