professionals…Asfortherest,letthehumansworryaboutthestowhetherweneedwyersintheKingdomofDreams,wehadbetterleavethatinKingDimitri’shands…”

    Anotherwomantalkinganimatedlyonhercellphonewalkedpastthetwoofthem.ShehadjustparkedherexpensiveluxurycarattheparkinglotandwashurryingtowardstheentraheBARTstation.Sheairoftight,old-fashionedjeanswhichhadbeenwashedtillitwasfadedincolor,whitecasualwalkingshoes,whiteshort-sleevet-shirtandhershorthairwaslycut.Shewasnolongeryoung,buthadretainedaslimfigure.Hersharpeyesrevealedher

    15

    shrewdnessandcapability.Hervoicewasalittlehoarse,perhapsduetoindulginginaloking.

    “Yes”shesaidasshetalkedonherphone.“Iamtheduty.Whatisit?Somanypeoplenotingintoday...Haveyouaskedthemwhy?…What?Goingtoballgames...Absurd!…Don’tthesepeopleknowthateverymiheirtimeispaidforbythepany?…Everymiheirtimeshouldbespentwforthepany,orelsetheyareguiltyofdereli…Thesepeoplearereallywithoutsce!...Don’ttheyknowthatretlypetitionissofiercethatourpanyishavingtofightharderandhardertostayaheadofourpetitors?Somanypeoplenotingtoworkaltoncewillgreatlyaffectourprodu.Whowillberesponsibleifwefallbehindonourquota,otfinishourworkontimeandmissthedeliverydate?...TellthepeopleinHumanResourcesthatallthosewhodidnotetoworkfornovalidreasonwillbefired.TellthemthatIsaidso.Ourpawantirresponsibleemployeeswhothinkonlyoftheirownpleasureaatalledaboutthegoodofthepany.Whydowewanttokeepsuchpeople?Firethemall…What?Theyareprotectedbyuniontradotbefired?...Oh…Thehemthattherewillbenopayforthetimenotputinandputtheirhebcklist.Theirtractsarenottoberenewedwhenthisoneexpires.Iwantallofthemtogettheirpinkslipsthen!...Iamonmywaytotheoffice.We’lltalkaboutitthen…”ShehungupandhurriedquicklyintotheBARTstation.ObviouslysheermaCEOtypeandwasstillmutteringangrilyasshewalkedaway,“Whoohissostupidastanizeballgamesonaweekday?Justtoseepeoplepyingball.That’sabsurd!Abigballparkholdtensofthousandsofspectatorsatatime.It’swastihatcouldhavebeenputtogooduseattheirjobs.Allthosetensofthousandsofpeoplecouldhaveproducedalotofeicvalue.Havethosepeopleanizingballgameseverthoughtofthat?That’ssomuchwaste…”Imaginationaivitylookedateachother,shooktheirheadsandsighed,obviouslynotagreeingwiththatwoman’swords.

    “Ithinkthatwomanmustbeamammonite”saidImagination.“Shemeasureseverythingbyitseicvalue.Sheisnotyoungbuthaskeptherfigure.Thatmeaexercisealot,orshewouldnothavebeeomaolooklikethat.Sincesheherselflovesexercise,whydoesshesureheremployeesforwatgballgames?Thereisanoldsaying,“Dountoasyouwouldthattheyshoulddotoyou.”Thatwomanistooselfish.”

    “Laborandmahavealwaysbeenonoppositesidesinanydispute”saidCreativity.“Theirretionshiphasbeoreandmorestrainedaroversyhasbeedeeperthanever.Bothsidesthinktheirretionshipisoneofexploitationandbeingexploited.Actuallythatperceptionistid.Theyshouldlookatitfromanotherprospective.Theretionshipbetweenborandmaisoneofco-operation.Oneofferscapitaheroffersbethertheyproduceavaluableproduct.Thegainbesharedandeveryonewillbehappy.Whyletthierioratetosuchastatethatthereissomuchbadfeeling,distrus

professionals…Asfortherest,letthehumansworryaboutthestowhetherweneedwyersintheKingdomofDreams,wehadbetterleavethatinKingDimitri’shands…”

    Anotherwomantalkinganimatedlyonhercellphonewalkedpastthetwoofthem.ShehadjustparkedherexpensiveluxurycarattheparkinglotandwashurryingtowardstheentraheBARTstation.Sheairoftight,old-fashionedjeanswhichhadbeenwashedtillitwasfadedincolor,whitecasualwalkingshoes,whiteshort-sleevet-shirtandhershorthairwaslycut.Shewasnolongeryoung,buthadretainedaslimfigure.Hersharpeyesrevealedher

    15

    shrewdnessandcapability.Hervoicewasalittlehoarse,perhapsduetoindulginginaloking.

    “Yes”shesaidasshetalkedonherphone.“Iamtheduty.Whatisit?Somanypeoplenotingintoday...Haveyouaskedthemwhy?…What?Goingtoballgames...Absurd!…Don’tthesepeopleknowthateverymiheirtimeispaidforbythepany?…Everymiheirtimeshouldbespentwforthepany,orelsetheyareguiltyofdereli…Thesepeoplearereallywithoutsce!...Don’ttheyknowthatretlypetitionissofiercethatourpanyishavingtofightharderandhardertostayaheadofourpetitors?Somanypeoplenotingtoworkaltoncewillgreatlyaffectourprodu.Whowillberesponsibleifwefallbehindonourquota,otfinishourworkontimeandmissthedeliverydate?...TellthepeopleinHumanResourcesthatallthosewhodidnotetoworkfornovalidreasonwillbefired.TellthemthatIsaidso.Ourpawantirresponsibleemployeeswhothinkonlyoftheirownpleasureaatalledaboutthegoodofthepany.Whydowewanttokeepsuchpeople?Firethemall…What?Theyareprotectedbyuniontradotbefired?...Oh…Thehemthattherewillbenopayforthetimenotputinandputtheirhebcklist.Theirtractsarenottoberenewedwhenthisoneexpires.Iwantallofthemtogettheirpinkslipsthen!...Iamonmywaytotheoffice.We’lltalkaboutitthen…”ShehungupandhurriedquicklyintotheBARTstation.ObviouslysheermaCEOtypeandwasstillmutteringangrilyasshewalkedaway,“Whoohissostupidastanizeballgamesonaweekday?Justtoseepeoplepyingball.That’sabsurd!Abigballparkholdtensofthousandsofspectatorsatatime.It’swastihatcouldhavebeenputtogooduseattheirjobs.Allthosetensofthousandsofpeoplecouldhaveproducedalotofeicvalue.Havethosepeopleanizingballgameseverthoughtofthat?That’ssomuchwaste…”Imaginationaivitylookedateachother,shooktheirheadsandsighed,obviouslynotagreeingwiththatwoman’swords.

    “Ithinkthatwomanmustbeamammonite”saidImagination.“Shemeasureseverythingbyitseicvalue.Sheisnotyoungbuthaskeptherfigure.Thatmeaexercisealot,orshewouldnothavebeeomaolooklikethat.Sincesheherselflovesexercise,whydoesshesureheremployeesforwatgballgames?Thereisanoldsaying,“Dountoasyouwouldthattheyshoulddotoyou.”Thatwomanistooselfish.”

    “Laborandmahavealwaysbeenonoppositesidesinanydispute”saidCreativity.“Theirretionshiphasbeoreandmorestrainedaroversyhasbeedeeperthanever.Bothsidesthinktheirretionshipisoneofexploitationandbeingexploited.Actuallythatperceptionistid.Theyshouldlookatitfromanotherprospective.Theretionshipbetweenborandmaisoneofco-operation.Oneofferscapitaheroffersbethertheyproduceavaluableproduct.Thegainbesharedandeveryonewillbehappy.Whyletthierioratetosuchastatethatthereissomuchbadfeeling,distrus