erika | strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be if we...

Today my father was ranting to me about one of his coworkers, over whom he has a nominal position of power. He says, Accused is just lazy.

I said, "okay, so let's take the logical outcome of our positions here. You're saying he's just like that, nothing you can do to change it, he's a bad kid (he's 19) and he'll come to no good.
"My thought, maybe you talk to him, ask what's up if he's having trouble at work or if there's anything you can do to get him to stop [behavior invested with vague suspicion of malingering].

"Maybe you're right, maybe this guy is inclined to slack off and there's nothing you can do about it. But you don't even have enough information to make that determination.

"Even if my approach has a miniscule chance of working, it acknowledges the inevitability of change and the possibility that it's the system that's failing this guy.

"Yours has no chance of working out for the best. Guy gets fired eventually and that's all she wrote."

I waited for a few seconds, took the tea bag out of my tea, and waited a few more.

"You know—" I start to say, because there is nothing someone in my family likes better than the sound of their own voice. It's an inherited trait—and so my dad cuts me off.

"You're right. I agree with you. I didn't see my responsibility before." My dad, MY DAD says.

Holy fucking shit you guys.