in trouble

We were met with quiet, almost-tangible hostility when we walked into the office yesterday. Sukjai didn't acknowledge our existence, but sulked into his breakfast of chicken and rice.

We sat down and exchanged nervous glances. When he left the room, we discussed a plan of action.

"Should we let him approach us?"
"No, in Thai culture, younger people always come to the elders. You can't make them seek you out."
"Okay, okay. So we have to approach him somehow."
"Not when La Bruja [a.k.a. P.Cham -- the third grade English teacher/office-politics puppet master] is in the room. We can't have him drawing strength from her."
"No, no. That wouldn't be good."

We caught him 15 minutes later as he was walking past our cluster of desks. Kristy -- a brave soul -- said, "Um, Sukjai? Do you have a second?"

We were immediately shot down. He waved his hand as if to say, "I don't even want to look at you right now" and told us he'd talk with us later.

I, for one, was relieved. At least the ball was in his court.

He waited until 3:40 to finally call us out of the office to have a chat. We sat down in a classroom and he said, "Well, what happened?"

Erin told him the same exact thing that I'd told him on the phone. He told us he felt so surprised on Tuesday when he came to work and none of us were there.

"Believe me, we were just as surprised when you called!" Erin said.

We assured him that we meant no disrespect and never would have missed work had we not truly, sincerely believed we had time off. We told him we'd stay an hour late next week to make it up, and he was placated.

Like everything else that goes on in our department, it was a needlessly dramatic buildup to an inconsequential outcome.