[Gallowsraven]

I'm sorry, i've kept this in about as long as i can stand it and i've had enough.

Some people on here (mainly those in the Pagan Inn) know that i've recently had a little trouble with an ex-employer. Not really an employer actually; i volunteered to help out in my "friend's" shop because he couldn't afford to actually hire someone and i needed the experience.

Everything went fine, until he started treating me like i was three, bad-mouthing me behind my back, groping my boyfriend behind my back (luckily my sweetheart didn't stand for it and made sure he was never alone with the creep again) and generally being a comeplete . . . i don't think i'm allowed to say that word. Sorry. I'll settle for creep.

I finally had enough when he asked me to work all day Sunday (this was a month ago now) after i had just spent the last seven days working all day in his shop for him alone while he swanned off to France, as well as breaking a promise he had made to me the previous week.

I walked. As a volunteer i wasn't required to inform him of my desire to leave, though i had already warned him numerous times that if his behaviour towards me didn't improve i would walk. There is only so much a girl can take.

I did this in a calm, respectable manner. I was polite and did not cause a scene, even though there were no customers to witness a scene. He said nothing.

Not five minutes after i left the store i get a text through from friends asking why i'm so upset? Did i really scream at him? Why was i so rude? This continued all day. For several days. I couldn't work out what was going on until another friend told me what he was saying. To everyone, friends and customers alike.

I didn't confront him over it; at the time it wasn't that bad. I wish now that i had, as it's gotten worse. It's no longer just lying, he's now slandering me to anyone he thinks cares to listen. But first i have to explain one thing:

His shop is now closing down, as he hasn't gotten enough custom within the last month or so to be able to afford continuing.

He claims that i stole momey from the till. I honestly have not taken a single penny, not one! Not unless he said i could and that was for bus fare or when we were getting food for lunch, and the change from the lunch-run was always put back! I know that i shouldn't stress, because i know the truth, but i just can't take it anymore!

We're going to give him a solicitor's warning that any further slander will result in court action being taken against him (we do have witnesses, both of whom have seen me replace the money after buying the lunch) but we can only do that if these people will agree to stand up and say it.

I have been polite throughout all of this; whenever someone asks i just say it was a disagreement and refuse to elaborate. What have i done to deserve this from a supposed friend?!

I just can't take it anymore. Can someone at least reassure me that i'm not gonna run into this all my gods-damned life?! Do i really have a sign painted on my back that says "TARGET"? I know the world isn't full of hypocritical _______, but my stress levels have sky-rocketed and my confidence is nearly shot!

He puts on this image of being all nice and generous but he's not; he's hypocritical, arrogant, patronising, two-faced, and just plain horrible.

I just at least need someone to talk to who isn't connected to all this. I'm at my wits' end and i'm so tired of this silly game he's playing. Why can't he just grow up?

[Glitch]

I hate that. I have something similar going on, and I honestly believe the girl that's saying things can't even remember what her initial dislike of me was, it's now everything. I'm probably spreading drama just by breathing in her eyes.

But the fact is, it's one person. And so long as you keep your head up and higher than them, you'll come out on top. I've even found it helps to your advantage to have nothing but nice things to say to them, about them, or around them. This is dumb but fighitng back, spreading rumors back, showing others that could report to him you care - gives him strength. So long as he thinks he can blame you for his problems, he will.

If he emails you, save it. If he says something on his facebook - take a screenshot. If you truely plan to take him to court you need your proof. But no, it won't affect you all your life. If they can't drop it after a year - every one will begin to see who is the real fabricator.

[Serra Britt]

That sucks. Literally and truly sucks :/ -hugs- I can't believe after all he did he would then accuse you of stealing too. It sounds like he's trying to blame his store closing on someone else and for whatever reason he picked you. -hugs again- If you need someone to vent to I'm available right now :)

[Gallowsraven]

Thanks guys, i know i need to keep my chin up but . . . i could just throttle him but i know i can't. And you're right Serra, he is. It's driving me mad and people in the stores near his are starting to give me funny looks, so i know the rumours are spreading. I just can't cope with this on top of everything else.

I've been a good girl so far though; no curses, no hexes, no punches thrown. I'm quite proud of myself to be honest; my temper usually gets the complete better of me, it's my one big flaw. ^.^

The shop closes in about a month, hopefully, so if i can hold on until then . . . but some of these shops i can't go into without getting a dirty look! I didn't even do anything! It makes me want to scream, but screaming is bad so i just take a deep breath and imagine how when he's gone (he doesn't live in this town, just has the shop here) things can kinda go back to normal. That is if the rumour mill decides to stop.

And he daren't say anything on Facebook; none of my friends or family have deleted him for just that purpose.

[Espy]

Do you wear a jacket with decent-sized pockets? I suppose you could record stuff with your phone or something. Chill out, I'm sure this will sort itself out if you think it through carefully and save all sorts of evidence.

And you don't want to forget that we're always here for you, okies?

[Gallowsraven]

I know. Automatic reaction. At least i haven't hexed him. That's reasonable ^.^

I've still got a couple of conversations saved that show he was taking advantage of me (who asks someone to work seven days straight???) and being a creep, so hopefully the letter, if we can manage it, will show him that he really needs to shut up before he lets his mouth run away.

I'm hoping i won't need it though, fiery as i am i hate stuff like this. Too soft huh :D

[Quiet Man Cometh]

That sucks. You have my sympathy, for what it's worth. I don't like conflict either, soft or not. I had a similar problem with an ex-boyfriend of my sister's. I was on the sidelines but I didn't like what was looking to me like a rift in the family that was centering around him. I did learn later though that the situation wasn't as bad as I thought, and that other people were aware of what was going on and therefore weren't listening to his rants. It might be that people around you are not as against you as it seems. They may still be making up their own minds, or are just not sure what to think.

[Espy]

I don't like conflict either, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

[Ginger]

He couldn't afford to hire someone, yet he vacationed to France? There's some pretty good evidence right there that he's a liar and a cheat.

He probably used the earnings from the business that YOU earned FOR him and took that vacation. And when you left, he had nothing left because he wasn't expecting you to leave all of a sudden and now he's closing down, causing him to be supremely pissed off.

There's some more evidence =) I hope I've helped in some way. These greedy business owners need to grow the hell up and realize it's not all about them. It DOES take A LOT of work to run a business and they can't expect employees to work for free while they go on "business trips" (vacations) with everything the business earns. Are you at least going to get the credit you needed from volunteering to add to your experience at all?

[Ashy]

Girl I'm not that big on wiccacraft but you need to hex, curse, jinx, whatever else you have in your arsenal the heck out of that douche. Then move on and let him screw up his own life instead of yours.

[Lunaryon]

I'm afraid that wouldn't be a good idea Ashy. The rule of three dictates that anything she throws out comes back three times over. Even so... I'm tempted to do the same. As long as you have proof that he's taking advantage of you, you can take him to court. You should demand that he give both a written and stated appology. Then remind him that you were a volunteer, and there for had the right to leave.

[Gallowsraven]

Luna's right i'm afraid, curse is out, for a start they're lazy magick, the laziest, as all i have to do is utter gobbledy-gook and your imagination does the rest. Plus he isn't worth the karmic backlash i'd get; i've been there. However, he is getting bound, as he's going too far, and i'm sure the universe at large would agree he deserves it as it's not just me that's getting the brunt of his attitude anymore, and i have evidence and witnesses to say that he is saying things behind my back. But i appreciate the humour, Ashy, you made me laugh :D

And Ginger, i actually have more proof of that; he couldn't afford to pay me, yet the guy who only helped on Sundays apparently got proper pay for his efforts. Plus i have saved the conversation we had before i left (twas over facebook, of all things), plus witnesses who saw me immediately after i packed up that can state that i was not in any way irate; i was in fact rather pleased with myself, and one who was there while i was packing up that can state that i wasn't in any way rude or agressive.

Plus he's getting a solicitor's letter soon to warn him off. Progress is happening people! The freeze-charm will help him lose interest in me and the bind will still his tongue against me. I'm being very careful to only cover the problems he has against me, nothing to do with the shop or anything/one else.

[Lunaryon]

Very nice... I have to say that I like what you've done. Uhh... What exactly happens when you bind someone?

[Gallowsraven]

What would happen if i bound you with rope? It would incapacitate you. With a spell you do it more specifically. For example one that i am doing (there are two) is to quiet a gossip, which will turn his tongue to wood, figuratively speaking, and prevent him talking about me any more, or so i hope. There's never a garuntee that it'll work. The other i have more luck with, as it will "put him on ice" in a way and cool his heels. It's more to make him lose interest in me than anything else. I have a much higher success rate with it ^.^

[Lunaryon]

Hmm... I hope that things go well for you, and you're in my thoughts. That's all I can really say, because it sounds like you have things under control from here on out. Good Luck, and may the Goddess bless you!

[Hermes]

Oy. Bring up the flight in court. Also, is he slandering you to businesses? That could be an issue.

You know what this guy needs? An ass kicking.

No magic, no words, no court.

Some people just need to have the ever-loving crap beaten out of them to truly understand how little, insignificant, and unimportant they REALLY are. Lessons are taught with fists, with people like this.

Just make sure he hits you first. Harm ye none, and all that jazz XD