You Ever Just Wanna Throat-Punch A Coworker?

One of my coworkers, a low-level manager, thinks that just because he has “manager” in his title now, he is above everyone. Literally everyone. I am the assistant to the site manager — the actual big boss. I run his schedule according to his requests and those who need to meet with him.

After a progress meeting with [Coworker] — but not [Site Manager] because he was dealing with something on the floor — [Coworker] tried to take my laptop off my desk. I grabbed it back and turned away.

Me: “Excuse me. Do you need something?”

Coworker: “[Site Manager] has a meeting that needs to be changed.”

Me: “He didn’t tell me.”

Coworker: “No, it’s in an hour, but it’s not going to work.”

Me: “With [Subcontractor on site], I know. It’s been like this every week for months.”

[Coworker] reached for my computer again.

Coworker: “Move it to tomorrow.”

Me: “Not unless I hear it directly from [Site Manager].”

Coworker: *Angry* “Now look, girl, I know you think you’re hot s*** because you probably spend your day on your knees under his desk, but I’m a manager and you’re not! Now change the d*** meeting before I call [Site Manager] myself and tell him you’re being a b****!”

The other people in the office were slowly stopping their work to watch us.

Me: *Smiling* “I’ll call him for you.”

He grabbed me by the back of the neck and tried to grab my phone.

Site Manager: “Hey, [My Name], I’m almost done out here.”

I should not have elbowed [Coworker] in the throat, but I did. He fell back to the wall behind him.

Site Manager: “What was that?”

I retell the whole interaction.

Me: “So, uh… that’s where we are.”

Site Manager: *Calmly* “Have [Coworker] take a seat in my office until I return. Do not move my meeting.”

[Site Manager] came in and slammed his office door behind him. We all heard him screaming at [Coworker] for what he said to me and for how he had tried to manipulate things in his favor. As it turned out, [Coworker] wanted to be at the meeting in question, but he had another meeting at the same time. The other meeting was immovable, so he decided to try to move that one, instead. [Coworker] came out of [Site Manager]’s office, pale and shaken.

Coworker: “[My Name], please forgive me for my unforgivable actions. I will try to… I will be more respectful in my communications in the future.”

Me: “Do not come into my office without my prior approval ever again.”

[Coworker] nodded and left without another word. The office was dead quiet when I was called in. 

Site Manager: “[My Name], did you hit him?”

Me: “Yes. I know it was wrong, but I—”

Site Manager: *Trying not to smile* “You’re not in trouble. I’m probably not supposed to say this, but I am proud of you.”