One night I was blessed enough to be joined by the company of a young man who had been unfairly victimized by his boss.
Scene - the business center of a 4 star hotel
m (opening the door to find me sitting sprawled in the chair): Hi, sorry there isn't usually anyone down here this late.
e: I expect not. I wouldn't know since I've only been here 2 days, how long have you been here to have such perspective?
m: I used to work here. So, I guess six months. I just drop in occasionally to visit my old co-workers and borrow a key to use the computers. Don't tell please...And I'm putting off getting into my car for a while... (has been drinking)
e: Well that's nice. How recently were you fired?
m: I quit, actually. I was tired of my boss's shit.
e: Oh really. What was so bad about your boss?
m: He just didn't like me. I worked really hard for him, I was always sweeping outside while everyone else would just stand inside talking and then he'd see like two cigarette butts outside and say "M, why haven't you swept"... Also one time some guests asked where they could get a nice dinner and he sent them to Chinatown, saying, "Oh yeah you'll really like it, it's right over there and they have a lot of great places to eat." I mean, he sent them to ChinaTown of all places in Portland. Not saying anywhere in Portland isn't safe but ChinaTown is the last place I would send people to get a nice meal. So after he left I told them I wasn't so sure ChinaTown was such a great idea, then I turned around and saw him standing there - he didn't look too happy.
e: Well, come on. I can see why he didn't like you. You embarrassed him in front of his customer. You just don't do that to your boss. Was it really necessary?
m: He sent them to ChinaTown! I was just looking out for the Guest, trying to make the guest happy.
e: Well you should be trying to make your boss happy.
m: Wow you're mean.
e: I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just blunt. I think everyone should hear the truth now and again... as a manager I can see his side of things. If I had embarrassed my boss the way you did I would have been fired. You just think you're better than your boss... you think your boss is an idiot.
m: Well, no. Well yeah my boss is an idiot. I guess I just need to work for a competent boss. or someone I can respect.
e: Well hopefully one day you will learn that it doesn't matter if you respect your boss or not. You always defer to the person who has control over your life. Hopefully you will learn a lesson from it instead of just thinking that your boss was unfair to you. The easier you make it for him and the more you pay attention to the politics the more likely it is that your boss will like you and promote you to something better than picking up cigarette butts. And give you easier work and more money.
m: I did learn from it. Well anyway it's not like I cared about a job at a hotel. It's not exactly what I would see myself doing anyway.
e: but you can always use a few great references to help you get your dream job.
m: well that's true. I do have this boss that's helped me get most of my jobs in this town. We just had a drink the other day... He's helped me get so many jobs...
e: Well that's great. What exactly do you see yourself doing?
m: Well, I'd like to get into real estate.
e: *sigh*
m: my dad works in real estate and I was planning to start running errands for him and getting my feet wet and hopefully learning to do it on my own. I just want to work for myself and not have to deal with a moron boss.
e: well that's great. I really hope that works out for you. (gets up to leave)
m: thank you for your bluntness.
e: no problem.
----
p.s. I have decided to try to stop sarcastically saying "well that's nice" about everything.
Scene - the business center of a 4 star hotel
m (opening the door to find me sitting sprawled in the chair): Hi, sorry there isn't usually anyone down here this late.
e: I expect not. I wouldn't know since I've only been here 2 days, how long have you been here to have such perspective?
m: I used to work here. So, I guess six months. I just drop in occasionally to visit my old co-workers and borrow a key to use the computers. Don't tell please...And I'm putting off getting into my car for a while... (has been drinking)
e: Well that's nice. How recently were you fired?
m: I quit, actually. I was tired of my boss's shit.
e: Oh really. What was so bad about your boss?
m: He just didn't like me. I worked really hard for him, I was always sweeping outside while everyone else would just stand inside talking and then he'd see like two cigarette butts outside and say "M, why haven't you swept"... Also one time some guests asked where they could get a nice dinner and he sent them to Chinatown, saying, "Oh yeah you'll really like it, it's right over there and they have a lot of great places to eat." I mean, he sent them to ChinaTown of all places in Portland. Not saying anywhere in Portland isn't safe but ChinaTown is the last place I would send people to get a nice meal. So after he left I told them I wasn't so sure ChinaTown was such a great idea, then I turned around and saw him standing there - he didn't look too happy.
e: Well, come on. I can see why he didn't like you. You embarrassed him in front of his customer. You just don't do that to your boss. Was it really necessary?
m: He sent them to ChinaTown! I was just looking out for the Guest, trying to make the guest happy.
e: Well you should be trying to make your boss happy.
m: Wow you're mean.
e: I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just blunt. I think everyone should hear the truth now and again... as a manager I can see his side of things. If I had embarrassed my boss the way you did I would have been fired. You just think you're better than your boss... you think your boss is an idiot.
m: Well, no. Well yeah my boss is an idiot. I guess I just need to work for a competent boss. or someone I can respect.
e: Well hopefully one day you will learn that it doesn't matter if you respect your boss or not. You always defer to the person who has control over your life. Hopefully you will learn a lesson from it instead of just thinking that your boss was unfair to you. The easier you make it for him and the more you pay attention to the politics the more likely it is that your boss will like you and promote you to something better than picking up cigarette butts. And give you easier work and more money.
m: I did learn from it. Well anyway it's not like I cared about a job at a hotel. It's not exactly what I would see myself doing anyway.
e: but you can always use a few great references to help you get your dream job.
m: well that's true. I do have this boss that's helped me get most of my jobs in this town. We just had a drink the other day... He's helped me get so many jobs...
e: Well that's great. What exactly do you see yourself doing?
m: Well, I'd like to get into real estate.
e: *sigh*
m: my dad works in real estate and I was planning to start running errands for him and getting my feet wet and hopefully learning to do it on my own. I just want to work for myself and not have to deal with a moron boss.
e: well that's great. I really hope that works out for you. (gets up to leave)
m: thank you for your bluntness.
e: no problem.
----
p.s. I have decided to try to stop sarcastically saying "well that's nice" about everything.
VIEW 25 of 25 COMMENTS
I was actually thinking about something along the lines of a massage/spa kinda thing. But that bottle of scotch is tempting too. She does enjoy the occasional night of hard liquor and computer Solitaire.
Anyway, thank you! You could probably publish that entry. A dissertation on Mothers' Day.
hope this helps with the mom situation