kestrel

Mid-May Updates

Personal entry follows.
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Had to bawl out another intern for the first time this week. First time I ever had to do that to anyone so intensely, as I recollect.

I mentioned to the crew that one of the outbuildings is no longer a bunk, and since the intern was currently residing there, he would need to move out by Sunday (now tomorrow, though he had a total of four days' notice). He copped a serious attitude in front of the rest of the team, and it turned out he and I took one of the rigs to our day's assignment and we had words.

He had two tactics: accusing me of some sort of mental or emotional distress, like some kind of mid-life crisis or something. Kept claiming he needed substantiated proof that it was a directive worth following. My response was that the room is used for summer events, intern stuff is in the way, and he'll have to move out. I had to pull rank as well, stating clearly that I was the supervisors of all interns.

He switched tactics at that point, claiming that the fact I called-in to all the morning and afternoon meetings while away for a month was bullshit, nutbaggery, etc. etc. At this point, I had enough. "You think I -wanted- to spend my time away visiting family dealing with you all? Who was going to lead the team... YOU?" I called him a dipshit, said "Fuck You!" to his face, "Get the fuck to work!" and "You are outta there Sunday!"

Never, ever ever had I done that to anyone. But this guy has a history of sandbagging, clock-watching, bullying and intimidating the rest of the interns, and general rudeness and figuratively poisoning the well here. At lunch break, he immediately went to the manager of the eco-institute to complain, and he was shut down. I spoke with the manager, provided my side of the story, and that coupled with the intern's previous reported behaviour was enough to ensure both he and I are of one accord on this issue.

That intern needed to be knocked down a few pegs. Personally I hope he blows up again so we can send him on down the road. I will not miss him, though the manager appreciates the guy's skills and will miss those. That intern and I are professional coworkers, and that's it. Nothing personal or amicable, likely ever again. Meanwhile, I apologized to the rest of the interns for speaking that way while they were within earshot.

Fuck that guy. He's poison here. The only good news as I see it is that now he knows I am in charge, and I will dish it out as well as I can take it.

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Reading my first Louis L'Amour book, -Matagorda-. I like it so far. It reads quickly, and like watching an early revisionist western flick. The cast of characters was introduced very early, and I suppose it was necessary, as the book weighs in at only 167 pages. It reads quick, as well.

The plot centers around a former Union army major, Tappan Duvaney, and how his post-war, cattle-rustling venture is complicated thanks to the family feud that Duvaney's business partner, Tom Kittery, is embroiled in. At the close of the first act, Kittery and a few of his posse were ambushed shortly after a visit to his fiancee. Duvaney thinks it was a setup by someone close to Kittery, while all he wants is to drive his cattle to Kansas. It looks like the family feud will be in the way.

Currently not-quite halfway through it, and I think I know whodunnit: the second-in-command of Kittery, a small guy named Johnny Lubec. He's the only guy who wasn't wounded in the ambush. It's either him, or Kittery's fiancee: Mady Coppinger. She has dreams of leaving Texas behind for the "big city," and while she and Kittery are a couple, she seems to have wandering eyes and besides, her family forbids the wedding until Kittery leaves the feud behind.

We'll see how that turns out. Just over 100 pages to go.

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People come and people go. This time, it was the lady I was quickly developing a crush on. She was here almost a week and a half, then had to return home. Her reasons included "family drama," and financial issues. She's a lovely woman, great smile, a worker's hands, and a good-natured attitude with knowledge of homesteading to back it up. I hope she fares well wherever she ends up.

For me personally, already I will miss her and think of her from time to time, and it's good to know that there are women out there who can rekindle that spark within me.

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kestrel.diary [at] tutanota.com