I stepped in it twice today.

First I came into work, and Sparky walked into my office and asked me how my weekend was and if I'd seen The Matrix: Reloaded yet. Sparky had of course planned that the three of us see the film together on Friday, and C. had pocket vetoed it, saying neither saying yes nor no until Sparky left for the evening. C. and I made plans to see it in Astoria on Saturday. We consciously didn't invite Sparky- C. said to me "I've had about all I can take of the boss's son."

Quick note: C., Sparky, and myself went to the same alternative(and then some) high school, and have known each other for the past decade. Sparky got us jobs at his father's factory in this crappy economy, and he is in fact my supervisor in the IT department.

I didn't lie. I could have lied, I'm not a bad liar, but I hesitated for a split second too long, and I could feel the edges of a shit-eating grin forming, and knew I couldn't make it- there was a distinct possibility of a giggle.

"Who'd you see it with?"

"It sucked."

"Who'd you see it with?"

Grin still forming-

"With C."

That led to a barrage of yelling, calling us assholes. It's hard to know when Sparky's kidding and when he's not- he always pumps his rhetoric like a balloon, and when he's in a good mood, he'll invite anyone around to pop it. I heard more yelling towards C.'s office, and then I got a forwarded e-mail from him, telling C. that he hopes C. gets divorced, dies of AIDS, and rots in hell, and calling me a pig. He also indicated that life was going to become more difficult professionally for the both of us. C. wrote back saying that Sparky was way out of line. Sparky asked why C. couldn't take a joke anymore, and it went on like that for a while, until they settled it by a combination of an athletic challenge and a get-rich-quick scheme. By noon, we were all relaxed about it, but C. had come within inches of seriously telling him off. As for myself, I'm on the two year plan- I've basically worked out that I can work with (and more gallingly, work for) Sparky for about two years before I'll have to leave or never want to see him again. I'm into one year so far. I'm tired now- I'll list the second way I stepped in it in the morning.