My immediate boss broke the news to me after lunch.
"Your pay's being cut by 38% and your sales commission will have to make up the difference."
My answer was succinct and elegant.
"Um, what?"
"The big bosses don't think you're doing enough. They want to light a fire under your (seat)."
"Oh. Okay, then."
So even though the territory -
(a conglomerate of cold calls,
accounts suffering from 2-3 years of neglect, and all with an inherent minimal purchasing ability)
- even though this territory grew 41% in the last 12 months...
...it wasn't good enough.
Huh.
Imagine the "Parables of the Talents" in Matthew 25 mimicking this situation:
The Master calls his servants to the conference room for the quarterly performance report:
"Whoa, Stevie, great job! You upped five into five. Here's your bonus."
And then the Master calls up the next guy.
"So, Wendell, you made two into two."
The Master looks at him thoughtfully.
"You suck, Wendell.
I'm docking your pay."
A parable like that kinda ruins the moment, the message, and the point, doesn't it?
Yeah.
So now it's evening and we're all sitting around in the living room.
This is gonna be fun.
Annnnnnnnd here I go.
I tell the Wife.
We look at each other, not speaking, our minds looking ahead to the near future.
The DAGU's ( Daughter All Grown Up) wedding is in a little over two months, the van's transmission is acting up, Phlegm the Taurus is having rear suspension issues, and college for TechnoBoy begins in about 90 days.
Yep. We're wearing the same look.
Suddenly, TechnoBoy does the most amazing thing.
He glances up from his perch by the computer, locking our eyes with a confident, direct look.
"Don't worry, Dad. Mom.
God's got in under control."
He nods before turning back to his cyberworld battle.
And I go back to mine.
Two pulls of the Elixir of Knowledge has me talking to myself, my mind asking questions as I stare vacantly out the window.
What can possibly surprise God?
Not much, I guess.
OK, nothing.
Is there some aspect of life that might "get away from Him" and careen outta His control?
Uh.
No.
And does He ever bail on a promise?
Well.
No.
Now, genius, can you trust Him?
Umm. Yeah.
I can trust Him.
Humpfh.
I don't like this deal I've been given.
I don't like it at all.
And, yeah, I kinda got my undies in a knot.
But I trust Him.
Yeah.
I do.
I get outta the Chair to get a refill of the Elixir.
As I pass by TechnoBoy, I lightly mess up his hair and pat his head.
Good call, buddy.
Good call.