In second grade, one of our class projects was to build a model schoolhouse. The kids made a really wonderful one, folding and gluing aper in al sorts of different ways to make desks and chairs and things — even little lights. It looked great. I, of course, had no artistic talent whatsoever, so I decided to stand around and boss everyone else around, telling hem what to work on.
But this didn’t really assuage my insecurity about having no talent. So I came up with the incredibly idiotic idea of taking a yellow paint marker, tracing the direction of the lights in the ceiling, and making yellow spots on the floor where the light beam might hit. In short, I wrecked this beautiful school with yellow spots. Not surprisingly, the other kids objected, but I overruled them.
When the whole thing was over, the teacher said I could take it home. “But he didn’t do anything!” the other kids objected. “He managed the whole project,” the teacher replied. I smiled proudly and placed the schoolhouse right on my mantle in my room, like a trophy.
The kids learned their lesson: workers may create wealth but the manager takes it home.
posted March 26, 2005 04:48 PM (Education) (0 comments) #