Saturday Evening Post

In my ongoing effort to stop being a slacker, here we are on a foggy Saturday. Grab a cuppa and snuggle into a rocker. Seems Clyde has something to say which is likely to preempt what I had planned for today. Pushy orang.

News

After two years of you listening to me gripe about the TCH, I went on a field trip. I found a sushi bar, a DSW, a World Market and a Nordstrom Rack. That is all. We will now return you to your regularly scheduled preempted program.

Right Turn, Clyde!

Clyde has noticed something about humans: They have more than one face. No, not in the sideshow way. They present to others in their social circle strictly based on their audience.

While the curbing of certain behaviors to avoid judgment has been a topic of conversation before, this level is one we have otherwise not discussed. It involves deception.

A man lives between the homes of his friends and family during a time of familial upheaval. When in the presence of his father, he endorses his father’s bad behavior, the root of the strife. When in the presence of a family friend, he proliferates rumors from both sides by sharing information he has gathered staying with his father.

As trouble brews, the man knows he needs to move to safer climes. He calls his uncle, who has not been involved heretofore. He tailors his rendition of the facts and neglects his previous endorsement of this father. His reasoning is the uncle has never been partial to his sister’s husband.

In the end, no one in the situation has any idea what man truly feels or believes. What they all know is the man will say anything to protect his interests, accepting the benevolence of others.

Can we discount this duplicity because the man is unable to provide a home for himself or can we reasonably surmise had he invested his energies into self-sufficiency he would not have had the time?

A woman is miserable in her job. She has been there for nearly ten years. Management has changed, again, and she is now carrying the load of her new boss and half of her boss’ boss responsibilities. None of this includes a raise. All of it requires endorsement of and cheerleading for the new powers that be, especially to her best friend who is her subordinate and would-be successor. She never reports her dissatisfaction with the changes.

She networks to reach an HR manager for the competition. When she applies for a comparable position, she states she is immediately available and her desire for a job to which she can be loyal until retirement. She notes she is leaving because the management changes include downsizing her position.

To cover her bases, she applies for a less stressful position elsewhere. Based on lower salary, she puts her availability at one month, so she can rearrange her finances to live on the lower salary. She omits the fact she is pursuing another position.

Two days later, both companies agree to hire her. Just after she accepts one position, she moves all of her retirement money before she faxes an immediate resignation to the company which has made her miserable.

Can we discount this duplicity because the stress from the job is affecting her health or can we reasonably surmise had she invested her energies in pursuing change on her job it would have been palatable?

Enter Ape

Right turn, Clyde.

Regardless of the man’s situation, minding his own matters is an obvious choice. No matter her health, being upfront about her employment, past and present, is a choice for the woman. In the end, both have chosen to be different people for different situations.

This is not about masks and protecting others’ feelings from hurtful truths. This is strictly about being something other than what they are for their own gain. The man plays both ends against the middle and switches teams to endear himself to his current hosts. The woman lies to her friend, potential employer and current employer.

Is not the simplest path to advance being honest with all involved? Why is it so difficult to choose a position and stand by it? Would justice be served by the man’s benefactors turning him out and the woman’s new company rescinding the offer?

It is enough to make an ape wonder.

Until the next time the orangutan takes the reins,

Is it truly that difficult to take and defend a position? Have a wonderful weekend.

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