Calgary, June 2023
Daniel didn't like his boss. He was not alone, no one liked him. The boss didn't understand the business, never made clear decisions, and when problems arose, he got angry and blamed everyone around him. The staff called him "Hippo" because of his intolerable nature. They tried to ignore him, but Daniel found a way to express their feelings. He could draw and portrayed the boss the way everyone would like to see him.
"The knife in his stomach suits him very well," said one.
"If he was hanging by his neck from a tree like that, we'd all be relieved," remarked the other.
However, the greatest success was David's drawing of a Hippo falling from a subway platform under a moving train. It was something that could happen, and one day it did happen.
That day, Daniel was sitting at the desk in the office, calculating something. It was morning, there was a smell of coffee everywhere, when Barbara, Hippo's secretary, came running and called:
"Daniel did it. He killed the Hippo with his picture!"
"What are you talking about, I didn't kill anyone," Daniel protested
"I just got a call from the police," Barbara continued. "Yesterday afternoon, Hippo fell under the train at the subway station. Just like Daniel drew it, and Hippo had the picture in his pocket.”
The news spread like wildfire, and Daniel became the hero of the day. Everyone congratulated him, they thought he had pushed Hippo under the train, and no one believed his claim of innocence. The police also became interested, they searched Daniel's office and found the picture.
"Is this your drawing?" asked the head of the investigation.
"Yes."
"Did you push your boss under the train?"
"No."
"Do you know he had a copy of your drawing in his pocket?"
"Yes. His secretary Barbara told us.”
"Where were you yesterday afternoon?"
"At home with my family."
"Do you have a witness to this?"
"Yes, I have. At about five o'clock our neighbor, Mrs. Nováková, came to see my wife. I opened the door and let her in. She will surely remember it.”
The police called Mrs. Nováková, she confirmed it, and the police let Daniel go.
"You are home early today," said his wife, Emilie.
“Someone pushed Hippo under the train yesterday afternoon and the police thought it was me. Mrs. Nováková testified that I was at home at that time, so they let me go."
"And did you push him?"
"You know I didn’t. I was here with you.”
Emilie looked almost disappointed, but that was nothing compared to the disappointment of the office staff when Daniel showed up at work the next morning. Everyone imagined that he had done it, that he had pushed him, that the police would arrest him, and that he would become the office hero.
"So, you didn't do it?" they asked him reproachfully.
"I didn’t. Sorry to disappoint you. I guess I'm not your hero anymore.”
If Daniel didn't do it, then who did? The police closed the investigation, calling it an accident, but Daniel didn't believe it. The fact that Hippo had his picture could not be a coincidence. Who gave it to him? And why? Someone had to make a copy and leave it on his desk, and the only person with the access to his office was Barbara. Therefore, it made sense to ask her few questions.
“Hi Barbara, how are you doing without your boss?” Daniel began cautiously.
"Good, much better than with him."
"I'm wondering," Daniel continued. “The police think it was an accident, but I don't believe it. When Hippo fell, he had a copy of my picture. How did he get it?"
Barbara was silent for a long time and then said, "I gave it to him."
"You? And why?"
"I liked your picture, so I made a copy. That afternoon Hippo was particularly insufferable, so I left the copy on his desk. Just to make him mad.”
"And what happened when he saw it?"
"He became furious and asked who had drawn it."
"And you told him?"
"Yes. He grabbed the picture, said he's going to report you for intended murder, and ran to the subway to go to the police."
"I don't think one picture would be enough to make such an accusation."
"I know, that's why I ran after him. I caught up with him in the subway, but when he saw me, he became hysterical, waved his hands, lost his balance and fell under the train."
“So, my drawing killed him after all. Maybe I'm still the hero everyone wants me to be.”
“You're my hero, but you probably shouldn't brag about it. It could bring trouble.”
Daniel agreed and they kept it between themselves. Also, there was a more important question: Who will be their next boss? Will he be even worse?
A few days after Hippo's death, the main director called Daniel to his office.
"So, how does it go without your boss?"
"Good. Honestly, better than with him.”
"But the department needs a new manager. Someone who understands things."
"That's what we're thinking too, and we're discussing who will it be."
"And whom would you suggest?"
"I don't know. Someone we can work with.”
"What about you? Would you be interested? You've been here for a long time; you know the people and you're popular. It would mean more work, but also more money."
Daniel was afraid of something like that. He never had the ambition to climb the corporate ladder, but he was flattered by the offer. Also, his wife will be pleased with the pay rise.
"I need to consult with Emilie."
"Of course, go home early today, talk to your wife and tell me your decision."
The discussion with Emilie was brief and to the point. “You'd be crazy not to take it. It's a unique opportunity. You are popular, you will be a much better manager than that Hippo. Also, we will have more money." Daniel did not want to argue and for the peace in family accepted the offer. He signed the contract, the main director announced Daniel's promotion, Daniel took over Hippo's office and Barbara became his secretary. There was celebration, congratulations, and best wishes. At first Daniel felt little uncomfortable in his new job, but then he got used to it. He was still friendly with his former colleagues and wanted to be one of them, but that was no longer possible. As in any business, the employees wanted the most money for the least amount of work, the management wanted the exact opposite, and Daniel had to keep the peace between both sides. During the boomtimes when there was enough money for everyone, this wasn’t a problem. But, as the Pharaoh of Egypt already found out long time ago, after seven years of abundance comes seven years of poverty, and this is still true today. Orders began to dwindle, and the company's management knew they had to do something. There was no hope to increase the income, so expenses had to be reduced, and the biggest expense was employee wages. Therefore, Daniel was not surprised when the main director called him into the office:
"Unfortunately, I have bad news for you," he got straight to the point. "As you know, our financial situation is not exactly the best. Orders are diminishing and the only possibility to reduce expenses is to save on salaries. Therefore, starting next month, everyone, including me, will have their wages reduced by ten percent. You will have to explain it to your staff.”
This news wasn’t a surprise. Everyone grumbled, but they understood it was better to lose ten percent of salary than to be unemployed. However, after years of misery comes a time of plenty and the company slowly began to prosper again. Revenues improved, the employees wanted back their ten percent, and it was up to Daniel to negotiate it with the main director.
"The company's financial situation has improved, and we would like to get back our original salaries," Daniel began, but the main director was prepared for it.
“Yes, you're right, the situation has improved. The company's share price is rising because the income has increased, and the expenses have remained the same. If I raised wages now, the share price would go down, and we don't want that. The employees can use the ten percent of their wages to buy shares, I'll give you a good price.”
"They won't like this."
"You have to explain it to them, you are their manager."
"But I don't like it either."
"I'm sorry, I thought you were with us."
Daniel said nothing and left without a word. He wanted to slam the door but new it wouldn’t help. Then he summoned his staff.
“I just came from the meeting with our boss. I asked him when we will get back the ten percent of wages, and the answer is ‘never’. The boss wants us to use it to buy shares of the company.”
This announcement caused great dissatisfaction.
"We need money to pay expenses, not to have shares in the company," was the unequivocal opinion of all.
"I know that too, and it affects me the same as you, but there's nothing I can do."
"You're the office manager, you have to stand up for us."
“I'm doing what I can.” Daniel's anger, which stayed in him since the boss's visit, was growing.
"Who knows what kind of a deal you've done with him," someone said, and that was the last straw for the Daniel's patience.
"Be quiet!" he shouted. “I'm trying my best and you're making it even more difficult for me!” It was the first time Daniel yelled at his employees, and everyone looked at him in amazement. Nobody expected that. There was silence for a long time and then everyone slowly dispersed. Daniel returned to his office, and on his desk saw the old picture of Hippo falling under the train, and under it the inscription: Don't be like him. Barbara.
Daniel realized that Barbara was right. If this goes on, he will be like him. The fighting between the employees and the management will make him crazy. Therefore, the next day he went again to the office of the main director.
"I don't want to be the office manager anymore. I would like my old position back.”
The director wasn’t surprised. “I'm sorry, you were a good manager. But I know that you feel more like an employee than a member of the company's management. I understand you and, in a way, I admire it. Ambition won't get you where you don't want to be. I will need some time to find a replacement for you and then I will let you know.”
In a few weeks there was an announcement of a change in the office management, and Daniel returned to his original position. Everyone welcomed him and soon they began to admire his pictures showing their new boss licking the heels of the main director, hoarding money and similar. Daniel fell like being back where he belonged, like being home again.