Why I Want to Drink at Work

I'm working as a site lead on a research team. The actual lead is in sunny Southern California. As much as I like my lead, his...leadership style, or lack thereof, is making my life...interesting. And by "interesting" I mean "fucking terrible".

So, Monday morning we had a big teleconference in which I'm supposed to give our customer our first draft. Let's not forget the fact that this is two weeks before the draft is actually due, and the customer already yelled at me for not having it ONE MONTH before the draft is due, so already I'm behind, under the gun, and in trouble. (WHY did you want the draft one month before due date? Surely that would obliterate the DUE DATE? Is that not the definition of a DUE DATE? But I digress.)

I made up a presentation outline (key word here is? Outline!) and sent it to my tech lead a week and a half ago, expecting to get feedback, so I could incorporate the feedback before the teleconference Monday morning. With me so far?

Monday morning, he calls: "Um...this isn't ready."
Me: "Um...I know. It's an outline. I sent it to you a week ago looking for feedback."
Him: "Well...it's not ready."
Me: thinking, no shit, Sherlock! "Well...okay.
Him: "I'm canceling the teleconference."
Me: "Okay, if that's what you want to do."
Him: "Well, it's not ready."
Me: "I hear you, it's not ready. That's why I sent it to you a week ago. So we could talk about it then."
Him: "Send out the cancel meeting notice. I'll call you later."
Me: thinking, SHIT. "Okay."

The customer who screamed at me three weeks ago for not having the draft responded to me: "No worries! Hope you feel better! Looking forward to the next meeting!"

Me:...WTF?

Later on that afternoon on the phone, I begin to take my tech lead through the presentation.

Him: "Most of the slides are blank."
Me: "It's an OUTLINE. The content of the slides should be summarized in the titles. The TITLES, Tech Lead."
Him: "Oh!"
Me: thinking, you've got to be kidding me.
*Moment of silence while my lead actually looks at the presentation for the first time.*
Him: "Oh, this isn't bad."
Me:...Oh, for fuck's sake!

I swear, it's like working with Schizophrenics.