It was wonderful to have my parents here and enjoy their company for two weeks. I'm very proud of my dad for building a successful assessment firm and grateful that it gives them the flexible schedule and available means to travel around to visit us wherever we happen to be living. Here in Hawaii they enjoyed their new prosperity by renting a silver convertible to cruise around the island. It made me a little uncomfortable that Morg was constantly pointing out how much better his Sebring was than my Saturn. I winced a little at his constant references to my being a 'professional student' who couldn't make it in the real world. But, for the most part, I just tried to enjoy the visit and overlook the various ways I don't measure up. Monday afternoon we waved good-bye as they drove their convertible to the airport.
The next morning I walked into the bathroom to discover our toothpaste was missing.
It was a surreal moment. Could Morg possibly have taken my toothpaste? Why would anyone do such a thing? My mind reeled as I tried to understand such a senseless act of cruelty. It was a brand new bottle of Crest - the expensive kind that stands upright. We spent the extra money because the kids make such a mess with the tube.
I know the extra money means nothing to a successful business owner like my dad, but for a struggling PhD candidate it's quite a lot.
Then I remembered the proverb from the Bible about the poor man who lived next to the estate of a wealthy landowner. The rich man had his friends over for a party where they all ate candy. When it was time for everyone to brush their teeth, instead of using one of his own many tubes of toothpaste (from his many bathrooms), the landowner went into the tiny bathroom cabinet of the poor man and took his small tube of toothpaste to give to his guests. I don't quite remember the end of the proverb, but I'm pretty sure the poor man got gingivitis.
I'm genuinely worried for my father. Successful people become accustomed to staying in fine hotels and being able to take whatever they want. What's going to happen the next time he stays with me, or my sister? Instead of toothpaste it might be an electric razor that's missing. Or possibly even a kitchenaid. Or a DVD player. There's no end to the damage he could do if these kleptocratic impulses go unchecked.
So I've decided to act. This year at the Strate family reunion my family and I are going to stage an intervention. We'll collectively confront my dad and explain that we love him, and we're glad he's successful, but he can't continue to plunder our bathroom cabinets in this manner. It's just not right. I'm confident that our combined love and devotion can break him of this destructive tendency.
I just hope it's not too late.
7 comments:
It's just a tube of toothpaste! Get over it! I specifically phoned when my mistake was discovered and appoligized for the inadvertan pilfering. I have given specified instructions to Rachel to redeem the tooth paste 3 fold as instructed in the good book. I don't know what came over me?! It must have been the feeling of entitlement, you know how big sucessfull people are, they just take what they want, or maybe it was pay back. These thing must all be explored at my next session.
It's not like the car was a maroon Lexus, that's real sucess. A Sebring convertable is only wanabe sucess
A purple Lexus? Oh..this luxury car has only been achieved by only one man.
His greatness is such that we do not speak his name. He is referred to only as 'Senior Project Manager'.
I remember this man.. "who's name we do not speak", Captain of industry and Teckno Guru, aka "Senior Project Manager" if only HE was here to guide us in proper ways of sucessful people behavior, we could all be on the road to enlightenment
hmmmmm what shall I take when I leave? Rach
I too am concerned with Morg's state. This is something that happens to us successful people without us even realizing it. Notice his state of denial. He still refers to the item taken as "just a tube" when Shane clearly pointed out that it was more than that. I too, have, from time to time, taken that extra beverage or snack from the executive conference room or from the bar on the corporate jet. I too have justified it with "it's just an extra snack" followed by an "and I deserve it." However, there is hope for those of us who have found some success and are wondering how to handle it. In my favorite book "How to become CEO" (it sits by my nightstand) there is a sentence or two that gives some good advice. "To be a good CEO you have to get over the temptation to think that you are normal or need to follow normal people's norms. You are not normal, you are successful. Accept it - you deserve it." So Morg, the same way you just went out and got a convertible without apologies, is how you handle the toothpaste thing. You are successful, you deserve it... Just SAY IT! OWN IT! By the way I now have Sr. Project Managers reporting to me...
Truly inspiring words to live by....YOU ARE MY HERO... when I grow up I want to be just like you, signed "The Morgster"
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