Hard Worker

I wrote this quick, little story as an example for my students. In response to a Dorothy Parker story called An Arrangement in Black and White, they are writing a short story about someone who mistakenly thinks they are not racist. This story lays in on with a trowel, but sometimes – especially when you want students to spend most of their time writing their own pieces – you need to be obvious.

“You know, Tran, you’re very lucky to get a job here,” the boss confided. “Back when my old man ran this place, he wouldn’t have looked twice at one of your lot. But you know, times have changed. He used to tell me the stories from the old days. You’d get all sorts bowling up to ask for a job here in the office. He’d send most of them packing, except the eye-talians of course. He loved them, my old man. ‘Ya can’t put a better man behind a shovel,’ he used to say. Must have heard him say that a million times.”

“You know, Tran, lots of people don’t realise what this job takes. Engineering might sound like a cushy, indoor job, but it’s all go, lots of hard work. Back in Dad’s time, most of the hard work was out on the sites and that’s why he swore by the eye-ties, even back then when lots of people didn’t like them. But Dad didn’t mind. He’d still prefer his meat and two veg to a bowl of pasta, but he knew good workers when he saw them.”

“I’m the same, young Tran. I can spot a good worker and you people are great workers. I mean just take a look at the Great Wall of China. That would have been an enormous contract,” the boss said, laughing quietly at his joke. “That’s a civil engineering joke for you, Tran.”

“Seriously though,” he went on, “you people are bloody great workers, and that’s why I can’t believe it when people won’t give you a go. This here is the canteen, normal kinds of things you’d expect. Hot water over the sink for your two-minute noodles and the microwave in the corner. A couple of minutes in there and last night’s rice makes a tasty lunch. And of course, the team, milk and sugar are on us, coffee too, if you like something a bit more Australian.”

“I think you’ll like it here, youngster. It’s not just a family owned company, it’s like a big family. We might not get along all the time, but we care about each other in a way they just don’t in the big shops. We look out for each other. Having said that, I tell all my men not to look out for my daughter too much – you probably saw her in the office when you came in – not that I’ll have to worry about you at all. Your people seem to treat women real nice and I like that about you, too.”
“Well, I didn’t hire you for your looks. Let’s get some work done. Any questions?”