Accusations and recriminations flying
Nothing that hadn't been heard before
Then the owner descended to bring me the news
The manager had quit, given 2 weeks notice
He thought I had some good ideas
On how to grow the business
And offered me the job on the spot
I said OK and felt the floor fall away
The responsibility of the task hitting me
Like a hammer between the eyes
For years the place had been allowed
To degrade into a dysfunctional tyranny
A case of so much to do, so little time
But more than this was the fear
Deep seated and real that I
Was not the man for the hour,
That in my heart I was powerless
Destined to fall and ultimately fail
It had been easy to criticise him just gone
As an ill-mannered, micro-managing,
Pedantic, patronising, over-bearing arsehole
But now I was the one with his cup full
Having to answer to those on high
My performance judged by returns that rise
Grow the business - what does that mean?
What about my workmates? How will I be seen?
I was one of them, bitching about work over beers
Now it is my job to keep them employed
Take on board their anger, their needs, their fears
My beer time filled with annual projections,
Profit and loss statements, quotes and order lists
Pricing systems, equipment maintenance,
Streamlining, delegating, time management hints
Such that I look at myself and ask:
Who the fuck were you kidding?
Knowing in the same moment I can do this
And keep my Che Guevara t-shirt hidden
© shaun patrick green 2011
