Shirked and stirred

From the series "Chef!"

Janet Blackstock: "So, if he's such an incompetent and causing such chaos in your kitchens, why dont you just sack him?"
Chef Blackstock: "Um. Janet, I have to admit something.."
Janet: "What is it?"
Chef: "Umm, Ive never fired anyone."
Janet: "WHAT???? The great Chef Blackstock, feared by all.. youve NEVER fired anyone??? Surely, you must have!"
Chef: "No, Ive usually screamed at them long enough to make them leave or quit, but Ive never had to FIRE them! Oh god, what do I do, Janet?"
Janet: "Fire him."

The fictional Chef Gareth Blackstock, tough and intimidating, was actually a pussycat underneath it... heh, no, underneath it all, he was still an asshole. Just a loyal asshole.

In that episode, he never had to sack the person that he knew he had to. He didnt want to be the bad guy, so his sous-chef efficiently stepped in and took charge and did the unpleasant deed.

(Heh, that was the funniest scene, when in abject relief, he hugged the guy fired and commiserated with him all teary-eyed..)

But thats the thing, sometimes one has to step and do the unpleasant things early.

The other night, someone asked if Id ever fired anyone..

"Sure. Um. Hm. Fired? Well, I usually got them to leave or called the staffing agency or got my superiors to do it.. but hmm.. I dont think I ever FIRED anyone."

One of the sobering realizations of becoming an adult is that eventually youre no longer fighting The Man, because eventually you BECOME The Man.

And that includes doing the unpleasant but necessary things.

----
"Did you love her?"
"Sure. She's my wife and the mother of my children. But she fired me."
"She FIRED you? :-)"
"Yes, she told me my services were no longer needed and fired me."
"Heheh. Wow. Ive never actually heard it put that way."
"It was the best thing she couldve ever done."

I dont do regrets, but looking back there was one thing I wish I had done earlier..

JPennant: as I said, my only regret with chica was not breaking it off sooner.
JPennant: but thats not my style
JPennant: I almost never do the breakup, even tho I'll instigate it
julez: why?
JPennant: dont wanna be the bad guy without cause
julez: hehehe
JPennant: but Im realising now, thats passive aggressive bullshit
julez: nod

I felt relief when she confirmed her decision to fire me, but man all that time wasted. She did the right thing for herself, and really for me so Im never gonna slam her for it.

But it has made me realize that sometimes, Im gonna have to step up and have the guts to be the Bad Guy.

In everything.

Bad clients. Bad situations. Bad habits.
Its one thing to be prepared to do it, its another to suck it up and get it over with.
Otherwise, bad things are dragged out.
Quick and clean. It really is better that way.

My reputation be damned.

Its called growing up and being The Man.