Here we go, the first question of the day…and It’s not even a pleasant “How are you?” For every change in command, I wait for this one. What button do you push to run this spaceship? I point to the control panel at my station and explain the mechanism, and it’s my job To perform that function. The spaceship is already running, and we’re ready to go. Then, I show them where they are supposed to sit. Good grief, this one seems especially clueless, They keep sending them to us, and each one is Younger than the last one. Apparently, they look good on paper. Anyone can look good as long as They check all the right boxes. What is absent is getting their hands dirty In the nitty-gritty of experience. The next question of the day (probably won’t be the last) Where the fuck are we going? Hey, don’t look at me, I don’t know anything about that, it’s above my pay grade. You’re the captain. What’s our mission? It’s my job to plot the course and take us there. Wait…What did you just say? Good grief, don’t keep rewording your question until you get the answer you want to hear. Honestly, I have the patience of a saint, but I’ll never be canonized for it. I’ve been here a long time, and I know the truth of what was…umm… huh well, that’s interesting… your mouth is running you should see to that. Yeah, I know who you are; you’re one of those who always got a ride to the finish line while everyone else before you came along, the people like me, did it the hard way…the right way… Well, well, ain’t you special? Excuse me, but I don’t like being set up to fail. Listen, before taking off, I want you to see this button, Yes, the red one, the one right there on your control panel. Whatever you do, don’t press that Red Button. I don’t know what it does exactly. The sticky label has been worn away; it’s such an old spaceship, but she does all right if you treat her well. What? You don’t know? You’re the one who has the “piled higher and deeper” attached to your name, it’s your job to do the research to figure it out, not mine. I don’t get paid the big bucks like you do, I only know how to fly this thing. That Red Button, yeah, that one right there. It’s your job to know what it does. Not mine. Your impatience shows me that you lack basic common sense and if you do feel so compelled to do things you know nothing about, leave me off here. No worries, I’ll be fine, but you, not so much. By the way, your training wheels are loose, You better see to that.
How does someone get to sit in the captain’s chair and not know what that Red Button does?
With that said, you know they will push that red button because “I” (not me, but the generic “I” who knew what button to push to run the spaceship) told them not to until they found out what it does. What will happen when they do? “I” don’t know—it was not “my” job! But, of course, “I” would be blamed for the consequences of their actions. “I” was not paid enough to know how the sausage was made, but it was expected.
I wrote this in October 2020 (yes, smack in the middle of the pandemic shitshow.) I saw the writing on the wall. I’m so glad to be retired.
I really had fun finding the bits and pieces for the photograph of the control panel with the red button! The red milk cap is one that little Schmoo plays with; you have no idea what I went through to find it (of course, it was under the dryer!)
I want to thank you for visiting and reading, and it’s awesome that you’re here. I want to especially thank my subscribers and followers and welcome my new subscribers and followers—I truly appreciate your support—it means a lot to me! Remember to be good to yourselves, okay?
very cool :)