Conflict

So the old conflict is back... or rather, it never really went away. My colleague at work is up to his old tricks again. I made a desperate plea last night... the stress of this is just getting to me. What he wants from me? My help. What I want from him? To be organized and give me a decent amount of lead time to work on his projects. Organization. No more last minute changes, lies and excuses. Final drafts, so hours of my work don't end up on the cutting room floor. In a word, respect. Instead, what I get is years of trying to talk and ask for what I want, only to be ignored time and again. Attitude. A thousand excuses why he can't give me what I ask. And then, my being made the bad guy. When I finally get to the point where my patience is worn to the bone, and his bad treatment and disrespect drive me to attitude and arguments... I am the big bad wolf. He is the poor little innocent victim. I am the bitch because I won't "let him slide" anymore. And of course he makes it known to all that will listen that I'm "touchy" so now everyone on his team pussyfoots around me. How did this happen? Why am I the bad guy? This is so beyond unfair. I don't even WANT anything from him. He's the one who wants something from me. 

So I made a white flag plea last night. Please... please can't we work this out. And he sat there, and put his arms up behind his head, and admitted that he needs me and I've saved his job time and again, and he's totally unfair to me. And then the excuses came, all the reasons why he is the way he is, and why that's fine. Why his clients feed him bs and he eats it and so everyone has to eat his. Why people put up with him because they can "learn something". Well, I don't need to put up with your ****,  I don't need to learn anything. Or maybe I do. Maybe I need to learn to say no. Maybe I need to learn to say too bad. Maybe I need to learn not to let other people's bad behavior stress me out. Maybe I need to learn to let go of the drama and give him enough rope to hang himself. But me being me this is not what I want. I don't want to fight and struggle and get ambushed and play stupid head games maneuvering for position and scoring points and seeing who can get away with what. I just want peace. I just want the stress to stop.