That Guy: Tough times with the new boss

Opinion

The new editor has only been in the job for less than a month and already he is flexing his muscle and sending a clear message to the columnists that he won't tolerate any insolence, drinking on the job, poor spelling or general incompetence.

Though I am one of the few columnists who doesn't drink on the job - as I work from home - I have been singled out for what he calls "incompetence" and an "anti-authority attitude".

For the record I reject this. I have never had an anti-authority attitude, and feel this is typical of the type of thinking a proud working class journalist has come to expect from someone in his position of power.

I will accept that I am incompetent.

Rather than allowing me to publish my hilarious satirical essay on global warming, the editor is insisting that I write my spelling mistakes from last week's column 25 times each.

He is clearly making an example of me, but personally I feel he is picking on me as I am the youngest columnist in his employment, and he doesn't want to upset Kerre Woodham as she can be a man-eater.

This is very humiliating for me as I have always considered myself to be an average to good speller, and always assumed that the subeditors were employed to correct any spelling issues as they arose.

I have always considered myself an 'i' after 'c' sort of guy so this is very traumatic for me.

(Note from editor: Among other things, the subeditors do deal with spelling but we cannot justify two subeditors spending an entire shift on Leigh's column alone, and it would certainly help if he stopped faxing his columns in!)

I accept on occasion my spelling has been poor, but in the modern age with the advent of texting, I feel that many of the spelling issues are very subjective, however, as a professional I will accept the editor's word is final and will agree to his demands.

I want to assure the readers I realise what I did was wrong and unprofessional and the above words will not be misspelled again, but I can't guarantee there aren't any spelling mistakes in this apology as it hasn't been checked yet.