Not a fan of former coworker
Dear Annie: Like so many others, I lost my old job because of COVID-19.
I was a waitress in a small restaurant and bar. Now, I work in a yarn mill. I am not unfriendly with my coworkers, but don’t socialize with them, as we have very little in common.
There is a former coworker, who now is having modest success musically. She is playing in regional venues and appeared on statewide PBS. She is somewhat of a local hero.
I am not a fan in the least! I heard from mill management that she was a very poor employee, and, more importantly to me, I heard from teacher friends that she was a very neglectful parent.
She will be playing a concert at the mill after work. They’ll have a catered meal for us that we can eat while watching the concert before going home. I would much prefer to leave after the work is done, as I am not a fan of hers and would rather spend the time with my family. Would I be rude to leave? — Heard Enough
Dear Heard: As soon as you clock out, your time is your own. I see nothing wrong with going home to your family. It’s also the safer option, COVID-19-wise.
As an aside, though, I encourage you to celebrate your coworker’s musical success, because it will be much better for your health than resenting it.
Dear Annie: I, as well as many others, do not understand why television shows have to play music when the people on the show are talking. I may not have the best hearing, but it is very difficult to understand what the actors are saying. Sometimes, the music covers up their voices completely. If I want to listen to music, I’ll turn on the radio, not the TV. If there is something you can do to convince them to stop playing the music, that would be awesome. — What Did You Say
Dear WDYS: I wish I had that kind of power! As it is, I’m happy to print your letter to raise what awareness I can, because you’re not the first person to write to me about this problem. For what it’s worth, some hard-of-hearing readers have reported that closed captioning makes watching TV far less frustrating. Also, some televisions come with a “Clear Voice” audio setting that might help.