I made a grown man cry

[Boozy]

My boss just broke up with the man she'd been seeing. They'd only been dating for three weeks, and he was already pushing to move in together. My boss (let's call her Linda) rightfully recognized this as a red flag, and broke it off.

He's since been engaging in borderline stalking behaviour. Constant phone calls, driving by her house, calling her friends and family. Linda is more annoyed than scared at this point, but we're all keeping a close eye on the situation.

I got a call from this loser at work yesterday:

Loser: Can I ask you a question?

Me: Sure.

Loser: Does she ever talk about me?

Me (dropping a clue): My boss and I have a business professional relationship. We do not make it a habit to discuss our personal lives, especially while at work and on the clock.

(This was somewhat untrue; we do discuss our personal lives, but only when we've gone out together as friends. Never at work.)

Loser: Oh. Well, I was just wondering what is going on. It was going so well! Why is she shutting me out?

Me (realizing that the clue-by-four has failed): I'm going to stop you right there. What you are doing right now is completely inappropriate. You cannot be calling Linda's place of employment and speaking to her employees about her personal life. Do not ever call this store again.

Loser: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. *sniff* I just don't understand what I did wrong.

Me: Like I said, Linda and I do not discuss these matters, because this is a professional work environment. But if I had to guess, I'd say one of your problems is that you have no respect for or understanding of boundaries. I am hanging up now, and I do not want to hear from you again. And I don't want you contacting any other employee here either.

Loser: *Choked sob* I'm sorry.

I felt bad for all of a second. Then I reminded myself that he's doing it to himself.

The customers were easier to deal with after that, for some reason. They all seemed so sane in comparison, I guess.

[Misanthropical]

I made a grown man cry once, because his macho bullshit was pissing me off. I ripped into him so bad he started crying. He then called our boss (yes, he was a coworker) and in-between sobs told our boss how mean I am.

Since he was one of the boss's pets, the boss chewed me out for being so mean to the poor man. The boss wanted me to apologize and I flat out refused. No, I didn't get fired over it, since my boss at the time was refused permission to fire me for the boss above him.

Yes, my boss wanted to fire me for making the poor pathetic man cry.

[Nyoibo]

I once made a grown man cry, I warned him to cut the macho crap poking me in the chest.

But we don't condone violence here.

I don't get the crying in front of other people like that, man up and grow a pair.

[Broomjockey]

I don't get the crying in front of other people like that, man up and grow a pair.

But if it had been women in these stories, the crying would have been fine?

[flybye023]

No. If one of my co-worker's ex or soon to be ex girlfriends called up sobbing to ask me what was going on that would still be inappropriate.

Whatever crying you do in the privacy of your home or out with your friends over a break up is fine. Crossing over into work is not.

[Broomjockey]

Whatever crying you do in the privacy of your home or out with your friends over a break up is fine. Crossing over into work is not.

If you'll note, the quote is dealing specifically with crying, not with crossing the boundary between work and personal, and was worded in quite a sexist manner, so I was seeing if it was meant that way, or, more likely, poorly worded.

[PentUpRage]

I made a grown man cry once as well and I don't feel particulary bad about it either. It was similar to the OP's situation only I was a collector and he wasn't paying for the mortgage so he could spite his ex. This was a face to face situation and all he could go on about was how she sounded and did she say anything about taking him back? I told him that while I couldn't begin to take on his personal problems I did think he was the worlds worst father since he was willing to put his boys in the street in order to get revenge on his ex. There's a lot more involved here obviously that I can't get into due to privacy concerns but let's just say that they were both seen in our offices the next day writing checks.

[Nyoibo]

But if it had been women in these stories, the crying would have been fine?

No, there's a time and place for that sort of thing, public really isn't it, the only time I've ever cried in public is the day I got the phone call that my grandmother died, I decided to go and teach my class anyway, then had to leave and broke down infront of my boss, I'd be to embarrased to cry in front of strangers.

[laundryhater]

I make grown men cry pretty often.

I'm a bill collector. They cry when they hear what will happen to them if they don't pay their bill.

[Misanthropical]

Well, I wasn't counting those idiots who think if they scream and swear at me that I will break down in tears, sorry dude, you are going to have to do better than that.

The men usually end up crying in frustration that they can't get me to lose my temper and/or cry. Sorry, dude, I'm not a girly girl. Oh, don't get me wrong, there are times that I am, but not for some moron on the phone.

Things would go a lot easier for you to just pay your bill, instead of playing "let's make the girl on the phone cry" No one has gotten me to cry, so drop it.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Um...yeah, I wouldn't call that borderline stalking behavior.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

He's since been engaging in borderline stalking behaviour. Constant phone calls, driving by her house, calling her friends and family. Linda is more annoyed than scared at this point, but we're all keeping a close eye on the situation.

Yeah, that's a bit beyond borderline stalking behavior.

Sounds like the guy has a special place in his basement for your boss, if you know what I mean.

[HowMayIHelpMe?]

Loser: *Choked sob* I'm sorry.

Crying over a woman?

What the hell is that about?

That guy needs to get his priorities straight,
before he tackles "understandings of boundaries".

Sheesh.

[PepperElf]

well i wouldn't harp on someone for crying over a woman... it does happen, without any mental issues involved.


however stalking her and calling her at work and crying to her employees... yeah that's when he needs to pick up the phone and call a doc for therapy instead.

[Ronald]

I made a man cry too. He wouldn't drop that metal thing he was carrying.

Course I think if the roles were reversed... I might have shed a few myself..

Up until the point when 'shock' sets in, being shot carries a certain amount of pain along with it.