The Dark Side Clouds Everything
I’m called up to my boss’s office to discover a problem with one of the sleeves on one of new management jackets. Somehow the lining twists itself in such a way it’s as if it has been sewn shut. While the manager (#1) who got the jacket is demonstrating the problem another manager (#2), sticks his head in.
#2 is widely feared and rarely respected on the front lines. His behaviour erratic, his sense of humour eccentric, his decisions incomprehensible. Stories of him are legendary often at worst casting him as the reprehensible villain and at best the inconsistent lunatic. I’ve witnessed some of these situations myself so I knew they were more than rumour.
However he’d been particularly nice to me for the last year and a half or so. In fact historically he and I had never really directly clashed, it was more like a cold war. But I had seen the remains of people he’d stepped on so I knew what he was capable of.
So he sees this manager trying unsuccessfully to put his arm through the sleeve and can’t help but say “you’re special“.
“Yea I know” says #1.
“I mean in the Olympic sense” says #2.
He used MY line! How many times have you heard me say “special like the Olympics“?
As if that wasn’t creepy enough minutes later I’m in another room and I hear someone talking about the new Bond film which I had just seen a couple days previous so I throw in my thoughts on it’s drawn-out ending to discover #2 agreeing with me.
Now I admit I can be unpredictable, wacky, and maybe even a little crazy at work but I always thought that was part of my charm. How many steps away am I from #2 with my own eccentric ways I wonder. Is it possible that he’s simply misunderstood? I’m sure some people could think me a monster if they heard some of the things I’ve said out of context.
I guess it’s a dangerous line to walk but the alternative would be to become a dull administrator and that’s just not me. Oh well, worst case I’m sure the picture on my desk will keep me from turning to the dark side.
