The Elegant Manager Episode 3: The Elegant Manager Who Can’t Be Honest

The Elegant Manager series 

Some people are hard to read.

But this manager took it to another level.

The Elegant Manager is not straightforward.

When work slows down, we sometimes make small talk—but there are so many moments when I genuinely have no idea what she’s thinking.

Normally, when you talk to someone, you can kind of predict how they’ll react to certain comments, right?

But with her, it’s completely unpredictable.

Even when I compliment her, she gives me the thinnest, driest reaction possible.

Talking to her is exhausting.

Yet for some reason, she often wanted to go to lunch together, so avoiding her was a whole operation.

I once even pretended to get a fake phone call because I hated going that much.

I acted like the hospital had called about my mom’s condition being bad.

(Sorry, Mom 😂)

Because seriously—when I ate with her, I had to be so careful and attentive that I couldn’t taste anything.

Lunch break was my one joy, my only moment to breathe, so the last thing I wanted was to spend it with this manager.

But because I was always putting effort into keeping the conversation going, she probably felt comfortable with me.

Which means… she was basically using my social energy for free.

She never asked me questions or tried to keep the conversation alive herself.

It was all on me. 💢

Recently, I finally realized why her reactions always felt so bizarre.

She is extremely self-conscious and complicated, and I think she believes that showing honest happiness when being complimented is “uncool.”

Even if I sincerely say, “That’s amazing,” she’ll respond with something like,

“Well… it’s not that special,”

while clearly enjoying it inside.

But actually showing that joy?

In her mind, that would ruin her “elegant” image.

It’s like she’s constantly calculating how to look noble and refined—even in casual everyday conversation.

She is honestly such a pain.

This Elegant Manager.