There's Ngo Helping This One

rating: +43+x

There's Ngo Helping This One


"I just feel like I get no respect around here, Dr. Ngo, no respect." William Wettle sighed, burying his face in his hands, which caused his glasses to get smudged up. He grumbled and grabbed at his mustard-stained lab coat to clean the smudge, only for one of the lenses to pop out and hit the ground. Wettle sighed again, then bent over from the couch to pick it up.

"Were you going for a Rodney Dangerfield reference with that last bit there, Dr. Wettle?" Ngo clasped her hands together and raised her leg up on the chair she sat on.

"Who?"

"You know, the comedian with the wild eyes who pulls on his tie and says 'no respect' and things like that?"

"I'm not much into comedians."

"In either case, maybe this is a problem with how you are perceiving yourself in comparison to your peers. Do you view yourself as worthy of respect?"

Wettle futzed with his glasses and the missing lens, trying to re-insert it. He muttered a few curse words under his breath before answering with a drawn out "Yes."

Ngo nodded. "And why do you think people treat you different?"

"I have no god damn idea, Dr. Ngo! It's like I'm a magnet for abuse. Like I'm a chew toy for the fucking universe."

"It is important to consider one's own actions and words when viewing how others inter—"

"Dr. Ngo, no one calls me Dr. Wettle. It's 'Willie' at best or 'Fat Slob' at worst. I have a PhD, god damn it!" He raised his hands in annoyance, swinging his glasses around as he did so.

"We all have PhDs here, Dr. Wettle. But I'll bite. Do you perhaps have any examples of your coworkers not treating you with due respect?"

"Why, yes, yes I do. So Dr. Blank, right? You know him, right? Harry?"

"I do."

"Right, yes. Anyway, there's a file about an anomaly that affects people who make typos. I leave a note saying that it's a stupid anomaly that probably just comes down to human error. I would know, I'm a replications expert. And then Harry, he just comes along and points out that I made a typo and makes fun of me for it. Spelled 'buffoon' with an 'a.' Next thing I know, the file is locked and I'm the laughingstock of the entire Site because of a simple spelling error."

"It's just a typo. I don't think you should let it get to you as much as you have. We all make mistakes."

"But clearly everyone else treats it like a big deal!" Wettle again swung his glasses around; this time they flew out of his hand and impacted against the wall. "Ugh. Great," he sighed, getting up to grab them. The lens that was still in place was now cracked.

"Hmm." Ngo's raised leg met the ground again as she pondered. "Well, Dr. Wettle—"

"Thank you for calling me Dr. Wettle, by the way. You're the only one who does."

"Of course. Now, as I was saying, I think your coworker's behavior may be a reflection of how you view yourself. Do you view yourself as someone worth respecting?"

"No shit, I do," he said under his breath, taking a seat on the couch again while inspecting his broken glasses.

"I think you may have some confidence issues, Dr. Wettle."

"Why? I'm plenty confident."

"When was the last time you took a risk?"

"I take a risk coming into work every day."

"That's not what I mean. I mean being open with your feelings. Telling your coworkers about how they are hurting you."

For the first time since entering her office, Wettle was silent. He stammered a few incomprehensible phrases before ultimately shutting up and looking down to the frame of his glasses in his hands. Ngo nodded knowingly.

"I see. Well, Dr. Wettle, I want you to try and be open with them next time you feel you are disrespected. That will be your homework for next session. Sound good?"

"I… I suppose so."

"Good. And get yourself new glasses while you're at it. I'd hate for you to have an accident because you couldn't see."


Asterisk43.png


From: William Wettle
To: Nhung Ngo
Subject: Emergency visit
Date: 07/07/2022


Dr. Ngo,

I realize that you may be busy with other patients but I had a really bad day today. Would it be possible for me to come whenever you can pencil me in for?

Thanks.


Replication Studies

William Wettle




From: Nhung Ngo
To: William Wettle
Subject: RE: Emergency visit
Date: 07/07/2022


Hello,

I am actually all booked up throughout the immediate future, but I can try my best to provide help via email for now. What happened?

Hoping things get better,


Psychology and Parapsychology Section

Nhung Ngo




From: William Wettle
To: Nhung Ngo
Subject: RE:RE:Emergency visit
Date: 07/07/2022
📎One (1) Attachment


Dr. Ngo,

I think it would just be for best if you read the disciplinary report I got today.


Replication Studies

William Wettle




From: Nhung Ngo
To: William Wettle
Subject: RE:RE:RE: Emergency visit
Date: 07/07/2022

VIOLENCE AGAINST FELLOW EMPLOYEES?????????
William, what did you do?!


Psychology and Parapsychology Section

Nhung Ngo




From: William Wettle
To: Nhung Ngo
Subject: RE:RE:RE:RE:Emergency visit
Date: 07/07/2022
📎One (1) Attachment


Dr. Ngo,

Please, just let me talk to you in person. I can explain everything.

Please.


Replication Studies

William Wettle




From: Nhung Ngo
To: William Wettle
Subject: RE:RE:RE:RE:RE: Emergency…
Date: 07/07/2022

Meet me in my office. You have five minutes.


Psychology and Parapsychology Section

Nhung Ngo




Asterisk43.png

Wettle entered Ngo's office in a manic state: missing a shoe, lab coat stained with a mystery substance, and out of breath. "Dr. Ngo!" he wheezed out, dragging himself towards the psychologist like a wounded seal on the beach.

Ngo was perfectly opposed to Wettle; sitting with her hands folded and resting on her desk. "Yes, Dr. Wettle?" She replied calmly.

"Give me a moment, I just need to… need to catch my breath."

"Five minutes, Dr. Wettle."

"Okay okay fine! I was going to the Site cafeteria and Dr. Blank was in front of me. I… I fell. And I reached forward trying to not fall and I guess I flailed and hit Harry in the face by accident."

"… Dr. Wettle…"

"But wait, there's more."

"Oh my God."

"Remember my homework that you told me to do? I did it there because I felt like I was being disrespected over an accident."

"Dr. Wettle, I—"

"I didn't do it on purpose! I just—"

Ngo sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Okay. I believe you. You are the most accident-prone person I have ever met. To the point of… well… to the point of it being anomalous."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm just unfortunate."

"Well… There is something you should be made aware about, Dr. Wettle."

"What's that?"

"Have you checked your email since this morning?"

"No. I don't like looking at my email."

"…"

"Don't give me that face. It's usually either Harry making fun of me or Karen being a bitch."

"Seriously. It's an ETTRA all-hands-on-deck crisis."

"What?" Dr. Wettle reached into his lab coat pocket to pull out his phone, only for it to fall. He bent over to pick it up and farted. "Oops. Excuse me."

Ngo sighed. She watched as Wettle unlocked his device and scrolled to his emails.

"The one from Sokolsky?" Wettle looked up at her.

"Who else would it be from?"

The two were silent for a moment as he read the message through his cracked screen. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he turned around.

"I need to go." Wettle ran out of Ngo's office, leaving the door wide open. She heard him trip over himself further down the hallway as she stood to shut the door.

"What a loser."







Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License