Sandbagged

'Sat in for my Veep today at an executive meeting.

Things went well for a while, until . . .

Until Burt the Bully decided this was a good time for some turf warring on our department. Suddenly there was a new item - not on the agenda: Why was our department engaged in an activity that Burt thought was a waste of time?

"Justify it," he says.

"The executive committee approved this last November, during the budget sessions," I answers lamely, not having been there but knowing when we had to start doing it.

"But why are we doing it now?" Burt bores down.

This is a "fun" situation, because Burt does not believe in "speaking above your pay level" (ex-Army man, y'see) and the look in his eyes is one of challenge. Burt does not like to hear info he disagrees with - 'learned this from other situations - but now I'm in the catbird seat for my Veep and...

Well, here's the funner part: I actually agree with Burt on this issue - but I don't think it's fair to let my Veep's position get plowed under just because he's not there. And certainly not because Burt is sure he can bully over any old cube worker who happens to be sitting in.

The Prez, as always, acts as if he's never heard anything about the issue before.

It's not his fault: He really truly sincerely prefers to avoid conflict and will agree with anyone he's with when one-on-one - then do what he has to do anyway when they're out of sight. Consequently, these all-together-in-one-place sessions have an awkward protocol: the Prez wants everything smiley friendly and, since the Veeps are wise to his personal preferences, they make mushy mooshy sounds of consensus and then go slug it out in the aisles.

Except for Burt - who, if I didn't mention it before, is also the Prez's hit man: the Heavy to the the Prez's Nice Guy persona. No one is quite certain if Burt is always speaking for the Prez but - as in today - when Burt speaks in his definitive way, all others keep silent.

Except for stupid me.

I argued. I voiced the justifications my Veep made when they agreed to this thing a few months ago. I got the dagger look from Burt. And, finally, I kept the group from having a "consensus" by offering, clerical-style, to provide "informational documentation" - a stall tactic till my Veep returns for the next meeting.

'Problem is, I don't think my Veep feels like fighting with Burt over anything.

Stupid me. Time to go back to my cube and not act like a responsible executive.