The Size of Your World is the Depth of Your Consciousness

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Sabotage!

You'd think those who are downright broke would work to protect their jobs at all costs. Right? Nope. It seems not.

I offered a job to someone with 4 kids, a wife, a mortgage, and no work. I thought he meant what he said. He said, "I need this job. Life is hard. My family is struggling." So I did what I thought would work. I offered him a salary that would take the worry of money off the table enough so he could focus on doing a good job.

On the 3rd day he turned up an hour late. By the 5th day, he appeared as though he was going to the beach. Only he was stinky, unshaven, and dull. The work didn't get done. In fact, it was worse than before because now I couldn't get to it because I didn't know where stuff was anymore.

Day 10. He texts me to apologize. "I'm off sick," he says. So I tell him, "No need to report back tomorrow, buddy." I'm thinking... go back to whatever it was you came from. Go knock yourself out. Be the person you were meant to be. Hey, don't let me interrupt that!

Sometimes the preachers are mistaken. Sometimes we just can't profile people by generalizing. We may think that's what they need and give it to them. We may even want the best for them --- even more than they want it for themselves. But we forget to consider whatever is working for them in their trough of seeming discontent. There's some kind of secondary gain from being a bum. Something about being unemployed with 5 dependents and bills to pay is making sense to them at some level.

What? Are they illiterate? Schizophrenic? Delusional? Certainly not dumb by any means, that much I know.

As I detach from my association with this person, I send off a prayer in his direction. If not for him, then for the 5 souls who look to him as the head of the household. Peace be with you, my brothers and sisters. That you may know it someday.

1 comment:

  1. He could be depressed. Maybe he needs counselling. Maybe his education never prepared him for his self-actualization. Maybe he doesn't even know what that is. So sad. Wish I can help him.

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