I envy other people's lives. Sometimes. Ok, most of the time. What do they have that I do not have?! I start making a list--a long list--and there are moments when the only self commentary I can make is that I hate my life.

Then there are the rare instances when I might be on the flip side of this opinion. I am not blind to note that there might be few people who might be jealous of my life, of having a steady job, lodging, food on the table, and the ability to pay the bills more or less on time.

So when, from those few lot, a temp asked me to help her out by loaning her some money, I did it with the full understanding of the possible consequences. I even had her sign a promissory note, having watched enough small court television series. But realistically, as I was reminded recently, I knew when I was handing over those bills, this would likely become a charitable donation. And, of course, the result was as anticipated.

What gave it away? Oh, the redundant excuses of "I'll pay you back the next time, so be patient for few more weeks" or "my grandma's gonna be sending me some money, and I will pay you back when I get the check." Too bad she had no sense to keep her new bling-blings under the wraps, or ask how to go about cashing a check.

Ever since her husband was paroled from prison, yet again, the temp acted differently. Responsibility was replaced by negligence, sparkles of happiness replaced by blotches of bruise marks under her foundation, and kind-nature became nothing but true ugly as to what type of person she really was. Money hungry.

Still, I would have consoled myself to write the loan off as a lesson learned if the temp had ended here. Instead, she has done the despicable; she has offended us all.

Perhaps it was her fear of facing me and the due loan. Perhaps the strain in her personal life was too great. Whatever the reason, this temp's presence at work had been sliding drastically in the last couple weeks. Finally, her supervisors and the big honcho had enough. They called the temporary agency to obtain a reason and decide on a course of rectification.

Bang, bang. If I am going to die, I might as well take some of you with me.

Catching everyone off guard, the temporary agency responded with the following: the temp had formally filed a complaint against one of her supervisors, stating that he was constantly harassing her with the way he looked at her and the inappropriate comments and questions he posed to her during their daily conversations.

Now, this is not the first time that this particular supervisor has been called in to similar complaints. He does have the tendency to stare at the ladies. He does have the tendency to follow people too closely. He does have the tendency to say odd remarks here and there. The trouble with him, when one looks at him objectively, is that he is very socially awkward. His big head on top of a bigger body relays an image of a giant clown who tends to make any jokes he try to tell as un-funny as possible.

Nonetheless, the temp's latest maneuver has everyone fuming. After all, what is she trying to do but to find a scapegoat for an excuse out of her situation? Yes, she could have simply said that she wanted to quit her current assignment. But the truth is, she needs a way to get onto receiving unemployment benefits like her husband. And "quitting" does not qualify...especially after they have worn out their welcome with their other family relatives. Why would they since she would not pause in stooping low as to suddenly accuse her step-dad of sexual assault to her imprisoned mother after he too stopped writing checks for them from his monthly disability checks?!

So to everyone's chagrin, the entire department has to get involved in responding to this "formal complaint" from the temp and her agency. Or else the temporary employment agency will no longer fill any future positions for our office. And, heck, that does not bother me one bit. Another agency has already been eagerly knocking on our door for a chance to show their stuff; if one door closes, another door opens. But what is the chance that we can get one temp without someone in their family deep in hot water with the law or trying to work the system?! Very much like winning the lottery, and I have not won that either.