NON-CONVERSATION
BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN
AND THE VALLEY
Mountain: “Wait a minute! When you’re on top, you can see an awful lot – you get the big picture - and you're not.”
Valley: “Of course you can see the big picture. However, when you’re in the valley, when you’re on the bottom, when you’re in the midst of things, when you're upclose and personal, you can see a lot of things that you up there on the top might not spot. There are things that happen down here, that you never seem to hear or to care about. You’re too far away to hear this – but I’ll say it anyway: ‘Come on down and ask questions, questions, questions? Better: come on down and listen, listen, listen? Watch! Watch! Watch! Come on down and talk and walk around with us once and a while? You might learn something.’"
Boss: “Wait a minute! When you’re on top, you can see an awful lot – you get the big picture - and you're not.”
Worker: “Don’t you realize, when you’re the boss, people hide things from you? Don’t you realize that people in the work place are not going to blow whistles – lest they get labeled a ‘Trouble Maker’ and it might put their job in jeopardy? Don’t you realize you don’t see as much as you think you see – as well as, as much as you used to see? Have you forgotten those things that used to rub you the wrong way when you were on the bottom? It’s the history of the world: people have always complained about the king being out of touch. And teenagers complain about parents and teachers and coaches. Parishioners complain about priests. Priests complain about bishops. Do bishops complain about the pope? Some might – but only the ones who have gone as far as they think they can go. Oops. Sorry! That's was a low blow. I didn't mean to say that. Can I take that one back?”
Boss: [Silence]
Worker: "Ooops! Wait, there's one more thing. Come on down and compliment people - especially the people who do the little things and do them well. Everyone is not on the eternal coffee break. There are lots of people down here doing the things that make this whole thing work."
Boss: [Silence]
Worker: "And oops! There's another thing. Salary. Your salary our our salaries? I'm sure you're rushing down the mountain to talk about that one.
Boss: “Wow! Don't they do a lot mumbling and grumbling down there? What's all this noise and hubbub about? Why are they so picky, picky, picky? There would be a lot less complaining, if they only knew what I know, if they only had more experience like I have had, if they only had to worry about budgets and time frames and keeping this mountain from crumbling, if they only had the big picture, and see what I see.”
© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009
