No Help Please

I used to work with a guy who had a habit of asking how to do something, and then, after a person would carefully explain the steps involved, he would go back to his job, look at it, and then go ask someone else how to do it. I don't know if it was worry over screwing up, or a way to kill time... hell, maybe even a bit of both... but it would piss off everyone around him. Especially when he would cut off an explanation with, "Well, so and so said to do it this way." There are many ways to do a job, and as long as it comes out right, it doesn't matter which way you choose. But once you started doing the job one way, it's best to finish it the same way.

Whether he meant it this way, or not, it was insulting. Some guys would fly into a rage when he asked them stuff, and then ignored what advice they offered. It didn't take too long, and guys started giving him advice on what to do to himself instead of how to do the job. Sad thing was, in the eleven years I worked there, he never stopped doing it. Never caught a clue. Some folks are just frickin' dense.

I was watching television at the bar last night, and they had "Deal or No Deal" playing. Over and between the conversations, we would catch bits and pieces of the show, and add our insightful commentary.

One of the contestants was a woman who had either a fiance or husband over in Iraq. He was a sergeant, but I'm not totally sure which branch. Army comes to mind, but I couldn't see any chevrons or read his nametags. Anyway, that's beside the point. Once she got so far into the show, they had it set up so that he could help her with her decisions via satellite. Pretty cool, I thought.

I wasn't paying much attention until the woman had only four cases, and hers, left, with the highest possible winnings being $500,000. Now, anyone who has seen the show knows that it is very, very seldom that a person wins the highest amount. It's usually safer to deal with their "banker." If you need an explanation of the rules, click the link above.

She was offered $128,000 for her case, and she turned it down. I didn't hear if she had asked her man what to do in that situation, but I did hear Howie Mandel say to her, after she asked her man which case to eliminate, "Why do you ask him questions, when you won't listen to what he says?" The sergeant told her to get rid of case 12. She looks at it, tells them to pull it, then stops them, and says to pull case 11. It was the $500,000 case, and the next offer from the banker dropped down to $44,000. This time when she asked the sergeant, she listened when he said to deal. She took the money and ran. It was a good call, as her case held only $10.

I know I may be over reacting, but it pissed me off. She asks for his input, and then shows everyone exactly how much that meant to her. On national frickin' television, no less. All I can think of is the guy I used to work with, and I think, "Run, Forrest! Run!!!" It's doubtful that it is ever going to end.

But maybe I'm just too cynical.

Posted by That 1 Guy at May 16, 2006 09:12 AM