MORE TERROR - NO ESCAPE

Dick on the other had was much more cynical and resentful. All his years of being at the bottom of the pecking order had left him with some deep bitterness towards the RAM system and that bitterness sometimes showed itself in directed hostility. In many ways, Dick had the same resentment toward the RAM system that many older veterans had, but Dick's personality was such that he tried to get back at the system every chance he got. I was the perfect target for his pent up hostilities and his need for revenge. Dick instructed me in the practical aspects of handling the problem material. While I worked well with Bill, he was to become one of my primary antagonists while I was employed at RAM.

The orchestrated harassment began to intensify in mid September and what I call cross-over events began to occur. Cross-over events were references at work about things which had occurred at home in my personal life. It was a form of torment which let me know that I had absolutely no privacy. And lack of privacy is a key element in mental torture.

Anita's father had been having some serious medical problems and had to be confined to a hospital bed. Since I would not allow a phone in the house because of because of the the annoying calls, Anita had to call her mother from a neighbor's house. Since every effort at work was made to be cruel to me, I made no mention of my father-in-law's medical problems for fear that it would be used to antagonize me. Then one day, Hun Wong from the sister Polymer Science Technology group and a close friend of Osama's stopped by my office.

“Hi, Russ.” He said. “How come you look so down?”

I was surprised that Hun(I believe another non-american) stopped by to talk to me because in general I was isolated and people avoided me. He was correct in that I was becoming depressed.

I responded, “Oh, I have some personal problems that are getting to me.”

“Yes, I heard you were having some personal problems and that your father was in the hospital and has been in serious condition.” He replied.

I didn't even question how he knew about my personal life. I was use to it by now. However, I have always been curious why he mixed up my father for my father-in-law. Maybe he just didn't get the story straight. I had not said anything to anyone and I could only assume his reference was to my father-in-law's medical condition. I should add that that was the only time Hun ever came up and talked to me.

My privacy at work was also invaded in ways similar to those used at Gamma Supplies. In fact, most of the techniques were the same, but no mention was ever made of Gamma Supplies. I still had the practice of leaving my briefcase on my desk and one day I came in my office and found it had been moved. I quickly checked through it to find a memo on Closteal letterhead! I had checked several times to make sure there were no references to Closteal in my briefcase, and now after finding by briefcase moved, there was a memo on Closteal letterhead prominently located in the file holder. This conjured up all sorts of fears about being fired for lying on the employment application. Of course, it reaffirmed that my briefcase was not a safe place to keep anything important. There would be many more threats toward my employment situation and most of them were much more direct. The purpose was the create FEAR, ANXIETY and more FEAR.


I continued to get annoying phone calls at work, and when I complained to my bosses they said it was just people getting the wrong number and nothing could be done. Terrorizing me by phone expanded to include letting me know that all my phone calls were being monitored. One day I had to call an old friend at a former company (pre Delta Oil) for some technical information for my current research project. As we talked I mentioned my Gamma Supplies problems and told him I was still considering a lawsuit against my former employer. After the conversation I went back to work and thought no more of it. About five minutes later I was walking by Don's office when he called me in. Don seemed more nervous than usual. He began by getting right to the point.

“Russ, I don't know what kind of problems you had with your former employer, but if you should decide to sue them, the RAM lawyers would have to see if you could remain employed here. I don't think that would be possible. But that's just in case you should decide to sue. Otherwise there are no problems.” I just stood there and didn't know what to say. The message was clear. My phone calls were being monitored as was everything else in my life and, I could not sue Gamma Supplies.

Also by telling me immediately after I had just made the phone call, the greatest conditioning terrorizing impact had been made. My behavior was being modified. From then on I would have to be very careful of what I said on the phone.