In the early 2000s I worked for a software company in Stamford CT. At the time I was in Tech Support, and all of us were in a sort of cubicle farm, each with our own work area, separated by partitions about five or so feet high. People would personalize their work areas, bringing in photos, or plants, or souvenirs of vacations. One coworker, Kim, brought in a few beanie babies.
One day I came in to work, and walking towards my cubicle noticed that someone had taken one of Kim's beanie babies and hanged it by the neck from one of the air conditioning vents. At the time I didn't understand why it upset and angered me so, but I got a chair to stand on, cut it down, put the toy back on Kim's desk, and continued on to my desk. Over the next few days it happened again and again several times. I knew it was only a toy, but the imagery really bothered me. And each time, I "rescued" the beanie baby.
After about a week, another coworker, John, approached me and asked if I'm the one who kept cutting down the hanging victim. Yes, it was me. He became upset with me. How DARE I disturb his hanging scene (that he created with someone else's property)? A few other workers took his side.
If this happened today, I'm pretty sure John would have been fired, or at the very least, disciplined. But at the time, I was made to feel insecure, as though there is something wrong with me for being disturbed by hanging imagery.
Recent events brought this to mind.
