It’s Like Herding Stray Carts

This story reminds me of a similar one with a trainee. I was training a kid on his new duties working for Meijer. An emergency popped up that needed my attention.

Me: “While I’m off dealing with this, can you collect the stray carts from the parking lot?”

Kid: “Uh…. why?”

Me: “Because someone has to, and it’s not something that takes a lot of training.”

Kid: “Uh… OK.”

So, I went to deal with whatever was metaphorically on fire. When I got back to the parking lot, the new kid was rigging some sort of contraption involving a can of open cat food, an upside-down cart, and some dowels and twine.

Me: “What…. what are you doing?”

Kid: “I’m trying to collect stray cats from the parking lot.”

Me: “…Carts. Carts. Like that thing you’ve got upturned over there. Not the animals that go meow.”

Kid: “…That makes a lot more sense. I thought it was weird when you said it didn’t take a lot of training.”

Me: “So why didn’t you ask for clarification?”

Kid: *Sheepishly.* “…I was intimidated by the whole new job thing? Thought you’d maybe be like a teacher and get upset with me if I asked questions.”

Earlier during his training, he’d mentioned this was his very first job.

Me: “Okay. Let’s both take this as a lesson learned.”

He went on to be a fairly productive worker and eventually left for a better job elsewhere.