Food For Thought: A Former Food Writer Reflects (Part One)

The Land Of Id

"You're an idiot."

I blinked. The source of accusation, seated in his big CEO seat, continued to speak despite my baffled look.

"You're an idiot for leaving the company."

Lying on the table before him was my proposal for the company's online magazine. The ezine (so it was called) was long overdue for a revamp in content, focus and design. And as the writer 'in charge' of the company's ezine, I was responsible for coming up with the proposal for the revamp. Having resigned from my job two months ago however, it became necessary to hand the ezine project over to my new colleague, who's taking over my position as Feature Writer.

So there we were, standing in The Boss's room on a Friday afternoon; I, to update The Boss on the project's status, my colleague, to listen and follow through. The Boss glanced through the proposal and after a brief, unusual moment of silent reckoning, quietly said, "This has been very well thought through."

That was a minute ago. Now, he seemed to have developed a sudden affection for the 'you're an idiot' phrase.

"You're an idiot for leaving the company, you know that?" There he goes again. At this point, most people would have reacted to such unwarranted accusations of idiocy. But when they come from a hulking 1.9 metre tall German guy, whose acerbic comments and short temper are well known in the industry, it's wisest to keep quiet and just listen to what The Boss has to say.

It was bewildering, to say the least.

"You know why you're an idiot?" added The Big German Boss for what must have been the fourth time. "You're a fantastic writer. Even though you're slow at what you do, but you're a fantastic writer and you've great potential in this company."

It was as if light began to slowly dawn upon me, and I started to understand what he was trying to say.

"So," he continued as he began to take a long drawl on his cigarette, "you're an idiot for leaving the company."

I didn't argue. Satisfied with what he's said, The Boss started to explain what he liked about the proposal and his expectations. Then without warning, he suddenly barked at my colleague.

"What are you just standing there for huh?!"

She jumped. I jumped. He was glaring at her now. "Are you going to take any notes of what I'm saying or are you just standing there to look pretty?!"

Pens came out, notebooks popped out in a hurry.

"You've got BIG SHOES to fill, do you know that? Young shoes," he added sharply, as he gestured towards me, "but BIG shoes to fill."

"Y-yes Mr Z," said my colleague.

Turning his attention back to me, he glared silently at me for a few seconds.

"Why uhh.. th-thanks.. Mr Z. for the uhh... compliment," I stammered.

More silence.

"You're still an idiot."

And strangely, for the first time in my life, I was really glad to be called that.

Pass the Coffee: