Topic: Sticking it to the man
MikeMontana's photo
Sun 03/25/07 09:13 PM
This will be a long post, but, its true, and you'll enjoy it.

I'm a software consultant, and previously I was part of a team to
convert a large company's "paper and pen" process to an internet
real-time system. This insurance company was ancient, and they were a
pain in the azz about making sure every single character was exactly
correct. Since we were mostly programmers who could care less about
commas, or semi-colons, we sub-hired a bunch of spot checkers to make
sure we got it all correct. One guy in particular was excellent - Pat.
He had a real talent for analyzing a page, and quickly identifying
missing punctuation, wrong numerical values and so on. He was mid 20s,
fast, efficient, and always right.

His personality was a little tough to deal with. He came off like a
hard-azz. And when he was drunk, he came off as a real prick. When he
was stoned, he was pitiful. He was often in some mixed state. Sometimes
he'd stumble into work wasted from an all night party. Sometimes he'd
come into work clearly beat up - bloody face, black eyes. But, it didnt
affect his work performance. He was always excellent - even drunk he was
twice as good as the next best copy-editor. Somehow, us programmers got
along quite well with him. Dunno why. The management of this Insurance
Company (a very large, and wealthy one) were appalled at his appearance,
but, even more impressed by the quality of his copy-editing work.

Project was ending. The managers asked if I wanted to become an employee
there, and I politely declined. I said "..but ya know, Pat could really
use a job. He's incredibly talented, and the medical benefits would be
really important to him". My boss grinned, then grimaced. A few weeks
later Pat was offered a full time 'employee position' which he
immediately accepted.

On my last day, Pat had realized that it was my recommendation that got
him the spot. In a private conversation he said "Thanks man, I REALLY
needed a full-time job. Thanks, I know it was your recommendation that
did it." And it was the most sincere thank-you I have ever received.
Just a thank-you that made me proud that for once I did the "right
thing".

A couple years passed. I ran into Jim, who was one of the guys from that
project. I asked "Hey, hows Pat holding up? He quit yet?" Jim laughed.
"No." with a sh1t eating grin.
"Pat's still there?"
"Nope" with that same grin.
"Fired?"
"Nope"
"Wha? Pat isnt there, but wasnt fired, didnt quit - he didnt die did
he??"
"Nah. Pat aint dead." Now he was laughing, but continued talking "Pat is
now Patricia. He had a full sex-change operation that was paid for by
The Company! On your recommendation you azzhole - you cost them $50,000
in medical bills!!! Haa haa haa"

Tneal's photo
Sun 03/25/07 09:39 PM
now that is funny!!

Droxfo's photo
Sun 03/25/07 09:41 PM
It is kind of ironic though. He stuck it to the man, now the men stick
it to him.

MikeMontana's photo
Mon 03/26/07 09:09 PM
so what if patricia is now cute? is that "ok"? oh man that would be so
weird.