My dear daughter,
Yesterday at work there was a talk of having to do something urgent overnight, so I packed my things and went home in a hurry. I learned the lesson from the movie Work Space. Stay out of your boss or manager’s line of sight when there is talk of urgent things approaching the end of the day or the week. They will just ditch it to whoever they see first.
It wasn’t urgent because of me, someone else didn’t take responsibility for it when they should, and it was probably someone with powers to put the blame on somebody else. The corporate world is full of those pricks.
Anyway, I was a little worried during the night, but when I got to work today the problem had vanished by itself – they realized it wasn’t so urgent after all. So, sometimes it’s not worth it to worry too much about something – the problem might go away by itself. Maybe my bosses were able to think clearly in their pillows, tranquilized themselves and made a better call. The alternative was making whole team unhappy with their poor organization and terrible management skills.
Another funny thing happened yesterday. When I was entering the garage in our apartment building, there was another car right behind me. Since I didn’t know who it was, and it could be bandits and robbers, I closed the gate in his face. We had established this as regular procedure in a previous meeting with all occupants. Nobody should try to enter the garage right behind another car, for security reasons – robbers and invaders act that way.
Anyway, this guy decided the rule didn’t apply to him. He had already caused me some minor trouble before and he had been served my kind of justice, so I guess he wasn’t too happy to find out I had closed the gate in his face.
After I parked and was leaving my car, he came in his car and parked next to mine, opened his window and demanded an explanation. Well, I delivered one as best as I could, trying to be respectful and all – his little girl was in the backseat. I tried to use reason and keep my tone as best as I could; I had been warned this guy is the angry type. In the end I think he was satisfied with my reasoning and accepted to change his conduct while entering the garage when there is another vehicle ahead.
He’s actually the coward type. After our previous altercation he started to literally run away from me and kept trying to avoid meeting me in the elevator or entrance hall. When he came to me yesterday he didn’t have the courage to leave his vehicle.
Anyway, I might be very wrong, but he seems to be the exactly kind of guy who would own a firearm because of the president taking office next year. He is short, bald, has issues with his wife and her family, likes to play macho in front of his kids, likes to talk big during meetings, likes to play the angry guy but is in fact a coward.
Which is why I’ll try to call him again today to say I’m sorry for closing the gate in his face, but did it for security reasons, for the safety of all families in the building. I Can’t risk getting shot by some idiot because the country elected a fascist idiot for president. I have to look after you and your mother and I really don’t care if he thinks he is right and I am wrong. What is the point? That’s the shitty country we are living in and I have lots of more important things in life to care about.
In almost every situation it is better to be smart and safe; to walk away from dangerous situations. You have to stand up for yourself, but if it’s a risk for you or your loved ones, then you should think it over a thousand times. People who seek confrontations are usually very insecure. Martyrs are romantic and all, but few things, very few things really matter in life. Life itself being one of them, since this life is everything we actually have. Nobody managed to prove me otherwise so far.
Love,
Dad
Aspergers Dad 