I know what that feels like. My first years in Canada and in america, come early August, and I'd suddenly find myself the only shrink in a large Department, because in North America shrinks traditionally go on leave in August ( someone suggested this would be because Freud liked to take leave in Agust, so those he trained did likewise, and so on ) --- but suddenly ou had all your regular tasks and burdens, and now everyone else's, as well !
I'm fascinated by your boss turning up in lurid socks which presumably he chose to put on, and panicking about suddenly needing proper black socks. Maybe they were pre-marital socks, fro his earlier days. But it reminded me of the ancient story of the workman who came to work every day and at lunch-time he's open his lunch-box, take out a sandwich, snort :" Ugh, ruddy cheese again !" and throw it away. After a week, his workmate said " For goodness sake, Pete, why don't you just ask yourself to make your sandwiches with something else ?" And he said "I can't --- I make them myself".