Every Saturday, we’ll be posting a new illustration by David Lester. The Mecca Normal guitarist is visually documenting people, places and events from his band’s 27-year run, with text by vocalist Jean Smith.
At Curves, the gym for women, I have a new co-worker, a young woman, 20-something. She asked me about the intercom from the parking garage.
“What if a man buzzes?”
I said, “That has never happened to me.”
“But what am I supposed to say if it is a man?”
“Tell him you aren’t letting him in because it is a women’s gym.”
She said, “I guess I could just say I’m sorry, but the intercom’s broken.”
To which I said, “Or you could try doing the noble thing and tell the truth: that we only buzz in members of Curves, which is a women’s gym.”
I said this in front of Julie, a.k.a. my boss.
New co-worker openly defied what I told her to do in favor of telling a lie that she preferred because it’s easier for her to lie. What the hell? That’s 100 percent normal, right?
It is reprehensible that the general state of dealing with anything is to do whatever is easiest. Lie? No problem. Let your new boss and co-worker know that you are a liar on day one? Awesome.
Solve problems by lying? Plan to lie? Tell co-workers you plan to lie to solve problems?
Dear dear.
Like, she cannot figure out how to handle that singular situation? Her conclusion is to lie, and she reveals her nature to the boss and staff?
Where’s this headed?
Something a bit awkward about the truth?
Lie.
