Right, Blame Bill.
Nice Guys Finsh Last ?
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
I had this brother-in-law Bill who was such a patsy for jokes. The guy was smart , well-rounded and had that all-around good nature about him but owing to cultural upbringing (anyway, we in the family think he’s more Polynesian than American in the way he chooses to react), he sort of just became the butt of jokes during family reunions. Every family’s supposed to have a sacrificial laughing stock and Bill just fit into it. He just laughed at the jokes thrown about him – even when they just bordered on being insulting.
Not being able to contain my irritation at times when things were getting out of hand and I felt he ought to define some limits, I had to confront him, asking, “Hey, Bill, why do you allow them to do this to you? “ He just smiled at me assuredly beer in hand, creaking the rattan on his chair as he shifted his massive Maui weight saying “They’re Family.”
“Besides, man”, he said, “ everybody knows it’s just a joke. Sooner or later , it just reflects on the character of the jokester”. Hmm. Sensible words, I thought then but maybe too naïve.
Then came Tony, another brother-in-law, vacationing all the way from L.A.who decided to stay the week after New Year. Tony landed this lucrative job working on animation and computer graphics and had time on his hands. During one rainy beer-filled evening, the conversation drifted to work in general and work ethics in particular.
“You’ve got to be aggressive at the workplace, Bill.” Tony started lecturing. “You just can’t stay polite and nice and hope people will notice your talent”. “Are you satisfied with that old Beer & Grill place you opened up, what, ten years ago? There are a lot of opportunities for expansion…advertising…set up some deal with the hotels. You could’ve set up a franchise for that place by now. Christ, Bill. “
Just then, as Tony held up his mug, several raindrops from the roof trickled on his forehead and nose, causing him to reflexly collect the steady leak with his beer mug. From amidst the restrained chuckles that emanated from his audience, Tony started a face-saving response saying, “ Bill, Bill, Bill… look at that. You can’t even repair your leaking roof – let alone get your big butt off that rattan chair”. Bill just rose up, stretched his arms and dryly retorted, “ Well, seeing how well you’re trying to help with that leak, I’ll just move my big butt along and get some shut-eye in my old comfortable bed. I’ll send someone to move the sofa for you. G’nite, Tony” and we all chorused in cheerful delight as we followed our heavyweight host to our rooms.
The background of this delight was actually the knowledge among family members that Tony in his fast-paced (business?) life unwittingly kept himself distant from his wife and kid who both were getting to know Maui as their second home. And Bill, the butt of the Family’s jokes had become the endeared Father to both his and Tony’s family.
The world is filled with nice guys who, even in their low-profile ways, manage to do the right thing . It’s also filled with glib, fast-talking guys who seem to have all the answers, but manage to screw things up and blame the rest of the world just to keep their faces up,even now. It sometimes takes time for us to discover the difference.
Not being able to contain my irritation at times when things were getting out of hand and I felt he ought to define some limits, I had to confront him, asking, “Hey, Bill, why do you allow them to do this to you? “ He just smiled at me assuredly beer in hand, creaking the rattan on his chair as he shifted his massive Maui weight saying “They’re Family.”
“Besides, man”, he said, “ everybody knows it’s just a joke. Sooner or later , it just reflects on the character of the jokester”. Hmm. Sensible words, I thought then but maybe too naïve.
Then came Tony, another brother-in-law, vacationing all the way from L.A.who decided to stay the week after New Year. Tony landed this lucrative job working on animation and computer graphics and had time on his hands. During one rainy beer-filled evening, the conversation drifted to work in general and work ethics in particular.
“You’ve got to be aggressive at the workplace, Bill.” Tony started lecturing. “You just can’t stay polite and nice and hope people will notice your talent”. “Are you satisfied with that old Beer & Grill place you opened up, what, ten years ago? There are a lot of opportunities for expansion…advertising…set up some deal with the hotels. You could’ve set up a franchise for that place by now. Christ, Bill. “
Just then, as Tony held up his mug, several raindrops from the roof trickled on his forehead and nose, causing him to reflexly collect the steady leak with his beer mug. From amidst the restrained chuckles that emanated from his audience, Tony started a face-saving response saying, “ Bill, Bill, Bill… look at that. You can’t even repair your leaking roof – let alone get your big butt off that rattan chair”. Bill just rose up, stretched his arms and dryly retorted, “ Well, seeing how well you’re trying to help with that leak, I’ll just move my big butt along and get some shut-eye in my old comfortable bed. I’ll send someone to move the sofa for you. G’nite, Tony” and we all chorused in cheerful delight as we followed our heavyweight host to our rooms.
The background of this delight was actually the knowledge among family members that Tony in his fast-paced (business?) life unwittingly kept himself distant from his wife and kid who both were getting to know Maui as their second home. And Bill, the butt of the Family’s jokes had become the endeared Father to both his and Tony’s family.
The world is filled with nice guys who, even in their low-profile ways, manage to do the right thing . It’s also filled with glib, fast-talking guys who seem to have all the answers, but manage to screw things up and blame the rest of the world just to keep their faces up,even now. It sometimes takes time for us to discover the difference.
