Families Can Do A Real Job On You

(I’ve accepted a senior position with a big wage hike. I’m pretty pleased with myself, as it’s the sort of money a professional with 30+ years of experience would be getting, not a guy with only 10. I am visiting the family-in-law over dinner.)

Me: “Oh, a bit of good news! I’ve just taken a new job.”

Brother-In-Law: “Yeah me too; I’m now a team leader at McDonald’s.”

Me: “Hey, that’s good. I’m going to be a—”

Brother-In-Law: “It’s a lot of responsibility; I will be in charge of two other people.”

Me: “Good, good… well anyway, I went to an interview last week and really did well. They called yesterday, and—”

Brother-In-Law: “Yeah, they are giving me an extra £20 a week; talk about win.”

(I give up. Six months later, we are all back together around the table. My brother-in-law has been demoted for not following instructions.)