Work Turns Sour

Work Turns Sour

 If you don’t like the work that you are already doing, work can’t turn sour. It’s already sour, sour like a stick of rhubarb. Work is a means to an end. On the other hand, if work were a pleasure, then why would it change? 

A critical factor in the joy of working is the element of freedom of choice. You can do what you want, when you want, for as long as you want. Take that freedom away and joy flees. It still can be done but the passion has left. Choosing a quality of life that is beyond one’s means can do that. 

However, the coffee cream hasn’t curdled yet. When family and friend relationships deteriorate or the need for money becomes unending, the job turns worker into slave, slave of the dollar. Work is now sour. The cream has now curdled. Time to throw it out. Thoughts of quitting the job may result in bankruptcy or even a family break up. Is it possible to see this downhill slide in its infancy so that it can be stopped or does transformation sneak up and remain undetected until it's too late?

If you’re conscious that work is becoming a means to an end perhaps it is possible to detect trouble, but if you aren’t suspecting that trouble it may be missed. In my novel, Baggage burdens. the signs are evident. Can you see the signs in the following selections?

Once Thomas sees his children are busy playing, he announces his good news. He’s landed a bathroom renovation job in Camrose. The work involves moving old main floor bathroom fixtures to a new basement suite. Then he’s to modernize the one upstairs. He asks Joseph if he would be willing to help.

Joseph hesitates, trying to determine if he can do the renovation job and still have Jill’s new dresser ready by Valentine’s Day. He prefers the prospect of curling up on the love seat before the fireplace in the evening with Jill.

In an attempt to encourage Joseph to accept, Jill whispers that she sees they can use the extra money to buy new cutlery. Joseph’s everyday dishes were scavenged from three different sets. Jill confesses she’s reluctant to serve company with them.

Seeing the hopeful look in both Thomas and Jill’s eyes convinces Joseph to accept. He hopes that by working in Camrose all day and working on the dresser at Thomas’ at night he can meet his promised deadline.

After two weeks of working on the renovation project, Thomas tells Joseph he has another contract. He asks Joseph to work on it too. Joseph chooses not to tell Jill. While Jill doesn’t complain that he often returns home after she has gone to bed, Joseph misses being with her.

Joseph saw the holiday as an opportunity to spend time with Jill as husband and wife. Between her studies and her teaching they had little time for each other. What bothered him is that Jill didn’t seem to mind their time apart, but he missed it. One of the reasons he chose to work on the Swanson house was to see if Jill would miss him. When she showed no concern, he had considered quitting his work with John. Then John asked him to help with the plumbing. That’s when John offered his Hawaiian condo. Joseph’s dream of spending time alone with Jill revived.

Early in the new year John, Joseph’s employer, asks Joseph to work twelve-hour days. After checking and receiving Jill’s encouragement, Joseph agrees. It’s an opportunity to earn extra money. They’d spent more on their Hawaiian holiday than he planned.

“You mean we can go!” Jill can hardly believe she won his approval. The expenses were high. She had prepared a list of several reasons why he should agree at least to going to Disneyland.

“Yes. I had to figure out if I could save up enough money for the trip, but I think by March I should be able to meet your estimated expenses. I might have to take a few extra jobs in the winter, but I should be able to do it.”

“That’s wonderful!”

“Of course that’ll mean I’ll have to work a few more evenings.”

“I can make a power point presentation for the kids or maybe burn the highlights of the trip on a DVD.” Jill’s excitement prevents her from catching Joseph’s last words.

“You don’t mind?”

“Don’t mind what?”

“Me working more evenings?”

“Oh no. We’ll have a wonderful holiday.”

A frown momentarily crosses Joseph’s face. He turns around and goes to the cupboard for a glass of water.

She can’t see his disappointment.

“You said you had two things you wanted to talk about.”

Jill waits until Joseph sits down at the table. A blank face greets her. ‘Something bothering him?’

“Well?” asks Joseph. He sets his glass down.

“Our twenty-fifth anniversary is coming up.”

“November 13^th, I know.”

“It’s kind of a super special time. I thought we might really celebrate the event.”

“Meaning what?”

“Have a big party here. We could invite Mary and Ed, Ann and Pete, Thomas and Rebecca, our pastor, some of the people from the Sunday school staff, and some from the drama club. I was wondering if you had someone else you might want to include from work.”

“How about a small intimate gathering of family and close friends only?”

“You mean skip the Sunday school teachers and the people from the drama club?

“Yes. The spring holiday will wipeout our savings. I don’t want to add more expenses.”

“If we’re short of money we could always use our line of credit to cover our holiday.” Jill feels like her recommendation puts her on thin ice, but she really wants to invite everyone she identified. “Twenty-five years of marriage is a major achievement. Don’t you want all our friends to know about it and join us in celebrating it?”

“I don’t want to go into debt unless it is an emergency. When we had the second mortgage, I felt like I had a noose around my neck. I had to work long days, weekends and not get sick. One slip and I was dead. I won’t have that again. If you want a big anniversary party then we will have give up the spring holiday. You choose. What’s more important?”

His stern response surprises her. She senses little room for compromise. It’s the first time she heard him take such a strong position.

“Our holiday,” responds Jill, without a moment’s hesitation.

haiku capsule:                 

unrestrained spending

expenses exceed income

joy of work stolen

Next blog: The Heart of Celebrating