FEELING SAD. FEELING BAD

"Can I have a word
When you've finished your lunch?" she said quietly.
  Immediately he felt nervous
What had he done wrong?
  He waited for a couple of minutes,
But the nervousness was too much.

He went and found her.
"They've been complaining
That you're not doing any work".
  He had joined an animal club at school
And it was lunchtime.

He was genuinely puzzled;
He thought he pulled his weight
  But being introverted he was
Perhaps not in touch with the
Outside world, and so naively
Carried on just as before.

A couple of weeks later
Someone pointed out
In so many words that
"You just sit around chatting
To the teacher".
  It was true and suddenly he saw it.
He went on to be a hard- working
Member of the group.

"Can I see you in my office?"
His bosses boss asked.
  He wondered what would be said
(But rather suspected in truth).
"Close the door and take a seat"
(He did).

"I am disappointed.
A few days ago you
Nearly missed a deadline-
And would have done had a
Colleagues of yours not realised
And taken over".

"For the next few weeks
Another colleague will be
Monitoring you.
  We try to help you
And we've tried to help you,
And you've let us down".

It seemed to be a recurring
Theme in his life:
  He fell into patterns of
Behaviour without really being
Aware of them, until something
Was said, or something went wrong,
As a result of his actions
Or inactions.

Perhaps his introversion had led to
A form of ignorance-
An ignorance of the impact
Of his behaviour on others

(Listening to music too loud
On headphones, or staring into
Space until someone complained
That he was staring at them).
Yes, he realised now,
He realised now
After words with another boss today
That he needed to be more aware.

MDC.  Copyright