Does anyone know what motive my coworker possible could have had?

[Jena]

So last summer I worked at a zoo. (was going to this year again but covid-19 happened). One day when we were really busy and understaff, a guest notified me that a bird (parakeet, aka budgie) got stepped on and couldn't fly. So I went to get the net to catch it (was super easy to catch) and went to get the carrier so I can radio the vet to bring the bird to the vet.

When I was about to leave the aviary with the bird, my coworker, (who has worked at this zoo longer then I have) asked me what I was doing and I explained everything to her clearly. How the guest saw this bird get stepped on and it's wing was damanged and couldn't fly. And this coworker said "well a lot of birds in this aviary can't fly, the bird is fine" and decide to reach in the net to take the bird and put it back on the ground..

I was angry at that point so I went to get my supervisor in which she agreed that bird needs to go to the vet and helped me take it to the vet in which I caught it easily a second time.

Now throughout that summer I was told by several of the keepers working in the same area that if a bird cannot fly. It has to go to the vet.

Meanwhile the coworker that stopped me acted like this was never the case and that all the budgies can't fly. (which isn't true they all can fly, they aren't clipped, they like to hang on the ground when seeds fall from the feed sticks and like to forage)

and it has been a little over a year and I am still trying to figure out why would a coworker, who has more experience at the zoo tell me I was wrong when in fact I was actually right?

hope my question makes sense. It still bugs me. And I have aspergers so reading people is always difficult and can't figure out her motive as to why she would insist I was wrong.

 

[Misery]

and it has been a little over a year and I am still trying to figure out why would a coworker, who has more experience at the zoo tell me I was wrong when in fact I was actually right?

I'd say that's why. The "more experience" bit.

I've seen people pull this sort of nonsense, strictly so that they can show someone else how much higher on the totem pole they are. Chances are, if you'd picked the bird back up and yelled at her, her brain would have nearly shut down trying to process it.

Whether she was right or wrong was irrelevant, at least to her.

Someone like that shouldnt be working with animals, period. Had I been in charge of such a place and witnessed someone acting like that, they'd have been out the door immediately.

 

[Tom]

I really can't tell either. But I do know just because a person has worked in a profession for a while doesn't always mean they learned anything. Some are just bad at it and have made the wrong career choice.

 

[Jena]

I really can't tell either. But I do know just because a person has worked in a profession for a while doesn't always mean they learned anything. Some are just bad at it and have made the wrong career choice.

but like i literally told her the bird cannot fly and got stepped on and it's wing is hurt. I couldn't have been more clearer to her. It doesn't take a lot of experience to realize if a small animal like a budgie got stepped on and it's hurt to the point it couldn't fly. She also was trying to sound like she was my boss and ordering me around.

 

[Stardust Parade]

Ask her, not us. Quite simply she could just be a malicious bossy person, for what reason I don’t know, I wasn’t there.

 

[Judge]

Assuming you were correct about policy, she may have been reprimanded by someone higher up and consequently now resents you. That her ego may have been squashed a bit, so she's taking it out on you.

Why would she do that? Because in her mind, she can. Instead of being grateful for clarifying policy, now she's bossing you around probably to intimidate you.

Social dynamics in the workplace. Ugh.

 

[Crossbreed]

If you have orders to retrieve a bird for the vet, I wouldn't make it about whether the bird can fly or not. I would simply say that I have orders to bring this bird to the vet. And leave it at that.

 

[menander]

How is the bird?

 

[Jena]

If you have orders to retrieve a bird for the vet, I wouldn't make it about whether the bird can fly or not. I would simply say that I have orders to bring this bird to the vet. And leave it at that.

no you misunderstand I didn't have orders to take the bird to the vet. I had rules state in our zoo that if a bird in the aviary cannot fly (like really cannot fly) due to illness or injury it goes to the vet. So yes it was about whether or not the bird can fly. This was told constantly. They even have it on a piece of paper taped to the inside aviary's door and listed in the main barn. It was more of a instruction then a order. In the aviary it is the job of the keepers to judge the situation and see what needs to be done. And if the supervisor tells us that if a bird cannot fly due to illness or injury it needs to go to the vet. Then when a guest notifies me that a bird literally got stepped on and is seemingly unable to fly, then yes this is about flying rather then orders as I have to make the call about how serious it is that the vet needs to be called (if that makes sense) And my coworker should of known this. Especially considering how many times it's been said over and over. The main reason why if a bird cannot fly it has to go to the vet is because since it is a free-flight aviary a bird unable to fly on the floor has a higher chance of being squished and killed by a guest accidently then a bird that can fly. Plus the bird could be in so much pain they might be reluctant to eat or drink. And stronger birds might pick on them as well.

My point is, no one orders me to take birds to vet. The supervisors and people in higher positions inform us that if we see a bird that cannot fly in the aviary that we must radio the vet and tell them we are bringing a bird to them. I wouldn't go as to call it a order. It's just something we have to be able to handle.

 

[Jena]

Assuming you were correct about policy, she may have been reprimanded by someone higher up and consequently now resents you. That her ego may have been squashed a bit, so she's taking it out on you.

Why would she do that? Because in her mind, she can. Instead of being grateful for clarifying policy, now she's bossing you around probably to intimidate you.

Social dynamics in the workplace. Ugh.

"assuming you were correct about policy" bruh I WAS correct. The fact I went to my supervisor and she agreed that the bird definitely needs to go to the vet shows how correct I was lmao. idk she just seemed to be rude to me a lot not just in this case but in other cases as well.

 

[Jena]

How is the bird?

I will never know T-T.
Working there we never actually get any updates on animals taken to the vet. We just bring them to the vet like delivery people and then we don't ever hear anything back.

 

[Jena]

Ask her, not us. Quite simply she could just be a *****, for what reason I don’t know, I wasn’t there.

this was last year so no point asking her now. Plus due to covid-19 i couldn't work there this summer so I didn't see her all summer.

 

[Jena]

I'd say that's why. The "more experience" bit.

I've seen people pull this sort of nonsense, strictly so that they can show someone else how much higher on the totem pole they are. Chances are, if you'd picked the bird back up and yelled at her, her brain would have nearly shut down trying to process it.

Whether she was right or wrong was irrelevant, at least to her.

Someone like that shouldnt be working with animals, period. Had I been in charge of such a place and witnessed someone acting like that, they'd have been out the door immediately.

THANK YOU. she put the bird back on the ground so I looked her straight in the eye that I was going to get the supervisor. She didn't speak another word to me and so I left the aviary went up to the main barn and explained everything to my supervisor and my supervisor was like "yeah that bird deffintly needs to go to the vet" and helped me in bringing this bird to the vet. When I returned to the aviary my coworker didn't say another word to me lmao.

 

[Stardust Parade]

So why keep thinking about it then? It’s over and done with.

 

[WildCat]

Didn't matter what your coworker thought as your supervisor had rank that your coworker didn't, so good job there.

 

[Jena]

So why keep thinking about it then? It’s over and done with.

because I hyperfixate on things. Especially when it comes to people and social behavior. If something has left a mystery to me I won’t let it go until I finally figure out why. I won’t let things go until I get answers as to why. This situation among others are being replayed in my head over and over and still pondering why. And especially considering the emotions I felt during this scenerio was filled with anger and frustration and I’m always trying to figure out why ppl do things. Letting go of things is the one thing that I’m unable to do.

 

[Crossbreed]

If something has left a mystery to me I won’t let it go until I finally figure out why.

The problem with this kind of mystery is it is likely to be based on her emotions rather than something practical that you can fix systemically. Once I determine that is the case, I just write it off as being outside of what I can fix.

 

[Bluestuff]

Maybe she she is intimidated by your honesty im A 53 year old aspie that has met several people like that in life,for some reason she is threatened by you and that honest side really brings out the ugliness in some people, I still struggle with them also

 

[Judge]

"assuming you were correct about policy" bruh I WAS correct. The fact I went to my supervisor and she agreed that the bird definitely needs to go to the vet shows how correct I was lmao. idk she just seemed to be rude to me a lot not just in this case but in other cases as well.

You seem preoccupied with being right. Many of us on the spectrum are quite comfortable with the absolute nature of binary responses. Right/wrong, true or false, black and white. It's often difficult for us to look beyond these boundaries. I know. "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt."

However when you throw NT coworkers into this mix, you can't always rely on the simplicity of "being right". Where sometimes being right can be informative and helpful and at other times can be intimidating and even threatening. That given most workplace's inherently competitive nature, how you deliver such information may mean the difference between keeping a friendly coworker, or gaining a hostile one. Especially if this isn't the first time such a thing has happened. Some coworkers are likely to appreciate better understanding policy. Others, not so much. Those who may or may not get mad, but focus on getting even. Something that can happen in just about any workplace depending on the people you work with.

In essence, be careful with how you deal with your peers at work. Some day you may find yourself in a position where what you know isn't as critical as who you know. It's a "jungle" out there, whether you work in a zoo or not. Watch your six.

 

[Crossbreed]

In essence, be careful with how you deal with your peers at work. Some day you may find yourself in a position where what you know isn't as critical as who you know. It's a "jungle" out there, whether you work in a zoo or not. Watch your six.

It's A Jungle Out There (Randy Newman, 2002)​