"Greg, we need to talk."
Why is it that those words always cause me to worry. Whenever I've heard them no good news follows. So I sighed, sat down in my recliner and looked at my wife of four years.
"Is there a problem Jenny?"
"Yes Greg, there is a problem. I've been meeting with Mike."
Mike? My boss Mike? Mike is our VP of Operations at Milton Contruction Inc. Mike manages several divisions of construction crews in the southwest. His goal is to be president of western operations.
"Why have you met with Mike Jenny?"
"I asked Mike why you've been with the company longer than Jim and Harry, yet they are division managers and you aren't."
I wonder why my wife thinks it is her job to take care of my career, without talking to me.
"What did Mike say?"
"He called Jim and Harry to our meeting. All three of them say the same thing. You're a great guy, one of the hardest working supervisors in the corporation, but you're just too nice and easy going. Division managers have to command the respect of rough and tumble work crews. Mike said division managers have to have brass balls and everyone has to know it. Jim and Harry both said they like you a lot and you'd be a great division manager if you'd just grow a pair."
"Did any of them tell you how I'm supposed to do that Jenny?"
"Yes, they did Greg. They think you probably had an easy childhood and youth so you never had to learn how to be angry and forceful. All three of them agreed that a major event that would make you really angry would make you see how to act with the crews."
"Did they give you examples of such an event?"
Jenny smirked a little, caught herself, and hid it with her serious look. Thats when I knew something bad was coming.
"I talked with them a few times since our first meeting last month. They have a sort of test each supervisor has to pass to be a division manager. I got four disks for you to watch. I want you to promise me you will watch them with me tonight. I want you to promise you will not say or do anything until we've seen all four disks. Do you promise?"
"Jenny, why do you want me to promise I won't do anything about a subject I know nothing about?"
"It's important Greg. You have to promise me you will sit there and watch all the disks with me and do nothing until they are all done."
All I could do was sigh. Jenny has a one track mind and when she decides something has to be a certain way there is no changing her mind.
"All right Jenny. Why don't you get us a beer and we'll watch your disks."
Jenny hugged me and ran into the kitchen for a couple of beers. When she came back she plopped herself down in my lap, gave me a big hug, and picked up the remote.
The first disk was a video and Greg watched as Mike, his VP, stood up from behind an old desk that looked like the supervisor desk he used, and addressed whoever was filming.
"Hi, I'm Mike Jacobs. I'm the supervisor for team four and I'm up for review and promotion to division manager. My men all know I'm not a bad person but they also know you don't fuck with me. One of my foremen, Ben Anderson, screwed up on the job and cost my team almost ten grand in penalties. Ben knows the rules and is here today to pay for his failure. Come on over Ben."
I knew Ben. He is a team supervisor now. Ben stood next to Mike. He did not look happy.
"Tell everyone what is going to happen Ben."
"You're going to fuck my wife Mike, and I have to help you do it."
Jenny felt me stiffen up at that and she rubbed my chest and whispered "It's ok Greg. No one can do anything without permission. It's company policy."
Bullshit. I've never read this company policy.
"Does your wife know I'm going to fuck her Ben?"