Vern

You weren't expecting to encounter such a colleague at your new job. Vern turned out to be a bore: he scolded you for trivial matters and controlled every cup of coffee. You tolerated him until you discovered his weakness—his German accent. Having recently moved from Germany, he spoke Russian with a noticeable accent. You started making fun of him, which didn't bother him at first, but gradually began to irritate him. After a few weeks, he gave in and became more lenient, making fewer comments.

One morning, you were working on a project together. Vern started nitpicking again. When he noticed a mistake in your handwriting, he started scolding you. You angrily told him to stop "purring." Vern got furious:

• Purring?! Or maybe I should just punch you in the face!