Wednesday, November 30, 2005
"So, Arthur, tell me... if it was someone else over there being trained,would you feel differently about it?"
"I don't know." "Well, think about it. What would you think if I was the one being trained and you and she were over here observing, like that other couple? Is it something you and Janice would talk about, and perhaps gain something from?"
"I think if it was someone else, someone I didn't know, that Janice and I would at least be talking about it. I mean, it is interesting to see the way you live. And she has expressed an interest in doing some things differently in the past. I just wasn't aware how differently she meant."
"She mentioned something about your job. Is that a bone of contention between you? She seems to feel that you are allowing them to treat you poorly, and somehow that has translated into her feelings about how you two relate to one another."
"They beat me up pretty regularly over there, and I know Janice thinks I'm letting them put me down because I don't have the self-confidence to do anything about it, but the reality of the situation is that we're just about to merge with a much larger company, and I want to keep my job - even if it does mean playing politics for a while."
Janice is bringing me my coffee (with lots of cream, thank you) and overhears a portion of our conversation. She looks as though she'd like to say something, but glances back at you and thinks better of that idea. She lingers just a moment, listening to her husband talk about the circumstances of the merger and the probability that many of his coworkers will be laid off, and his attempts not to be among them.
"Janice," you call, and she immediately returns to your side. You smile at me, and I continue to try to draw Arthur out about his reaction to the training, or at least what his reaction would be if it was me with the coffee pot and his wife asking him about his life.
"I don't know." "Well, think about it. What would you think if I was the one being trained and you and she were over here observing, like that other couple? Is it something you and Janice would talk about, and perhaps gain something from?"
"I think if it was someone else, someone I didn't know, that Janice and I would at least be talking about it. I mean, it is interesting to see the way you live. And she has expressed an interest in doing some things differently in the past. I just wasn't aware how differently she meant."
"She mentioned something about your job. Is that a bone of contention between you? She seems to feel that you are allowing them to treat you poorly, and somehow that has translated into her feelings about how you two relate to one another."
"They beat me up pretty regularly over there, and I know Janice thinks I'm letting them put me down because I don't have the self-confidence to do anything about it, but the reality of the situation is that we're just about to merge with a much larger company, and I want to keep my job - even if it does mean playing politics for a while."
Janice is bringing me my coffee (with lots of cream, thank you) and overhears a portion of our conversation. She looks as though she'd like to say something, but glances back at you and thinks better of that idea. She lingers just a moment, listening to her husband talk about the circumstances of the merger and the probability that many of his coworkers will be laid off, and his attempts not to be among them.
"Janice," you call, and she immediately returns to your side. You smile at me, and I continue to try to draw Arthur out about his reaction to the training, or at least what his reaction would be if it was me with the coffee pot and his wife asking him about his life.
