The Joe Ultimatum

We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.
-- John W. Gardner

The best way out is always through.
-- Robert Frost

These were here to greet me as I woke and checked my glut of daily necessaries waiting for me. Most days I have to pass them by for later, but today (of all days) I peeked.

Gertrude alluded to my goings on yesterday, so I will elaborate.

The film I worked on last summer is coming back to town for reshoots and pickups. Mostly exteriors (which we ran out of time and money for first time around), but also some new pages to clear up and better flesh out certain story points that rough screenings exposed. Anyway...

Last year, I had a different boss that was incredibly supportive (to the point that when it came time to make the decision to take the gig or not, and I was worried about the constant workload I wouldn't be around to handle, she told me she'd fire me if I didn't take it); this year, different boss with a different attitude.

When I first talked to to her about taking the job, I told her that these gigs would come up from time to time, as well as my eventual plans to segue into a parallel part of the family law biz (mediation); to both, she said no problem, we'd find a way to work it all out.

I got the call a couple of weeks ago that the production was starting up again and I told her straight away. Her first reaction was 'Well, I don't like it. We'll have to talk about it.'

Every couple of days since then, at times when little else was swirling around (which aren't that common, but they happen), I'd broach the subject again. Each time I received a variation of 'Yes, we do need to talk about that, don't we?'

Monday, I left a note in her box, raising the fact that it was almost soup, let's figure this out while there's still time.

Nothing.

Yesterday, when talking about plans for Squirt's 13th Birthday today (another post later about that), she asked, 'Say, what ever happened to that movie thing?

To which I replied (in the passively aggressive, smartass fashion that comes naturally at times like these) 'Oh, yeah. I start Monday, we should talk about that'.

Throughout the rest of the day, I let the full details of the schedule and my unavailability trickle out.

Then came the end of the day.

And she laid all of her cards out on the table all at once.

She didn't like it. Did I not want this job? What was she supposed to do if I were to be gone for 2 weeks?

Blah. Blah. Blah.

And then, she fell fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in A~th~sia, but only slightly less well-known is this:

Don't bluff Joe Banks unless you have the courage of your convictions.

She: You know this won't work. You're going to have to choose, the Film or this Firm.

Me: If those are my only two choices, there's nothing left to talk about. I'm sorry this didn't work out.

She: ... (lather, rinse, repeat for 15 seconds or so)

Me: (getting up from my chair)

She: We'll need to talk about this when you get back.

Honestly, it was pretty silly. She pays me to exactly what I did. Call bluffs, set trip wires to determine their determination, Good Cop/Bad Cop and the like.

So, I'm working half a day today, celebrating my daughter's 13th birthday on Friday, the Freaking 13th(!) and wiping my computer of all items possibly personal.

Y'know, just in case.

Enjoy your day.

I certainly will.