When duty sucks

There are times when you have to obey the rules you've established over more than a decade, but you wish you didn't. When your work partner states the obvious, and you know you have to do what you don't want to, because we made these rules, everyone playing agreed to them--in writing--and even after a second chance, at some point you have to be that person--the enforcer of the rules.

It kind of ruined an otherwise nice dance show evening. I left after the intermission because my daughter's portion of the show was done and it's my wife's birthday, and she was a good sport when birthday dinner was me staying at work and she and daughter showing up at 6:15 with a burger and fries in a bag for me; we all ate together in the booth.

My colleague, whose show it was, urged me to leave as well at the intermission, and having had to have the conversation before the show with a parent about the "consequences" of the rules being broken again, I didn't relish the end of the evening and possible further chats. So I decided to take the offer and head out to my car. Nice timing--there at the back door was a heavy convo as the parents of said kid are discussing the whole thing--I hadn't had the heart to tell the kid tonight before that child was to go on stage tonight.

It was more tact than cowardice that, after meeting the mom's eyes, made me retreat and find an alternate route out of the building. (I'd like to think that, at least.)

*sigh*

I think sometimes people get the idea I like being the prick who brings the wrath when people aren't doing what they're supposed to, or living up to their commitments. It's far from true. If I could look the other way, I often would.

I've seen too many shows fail for that reason. Sure, a three or four-person undertaking can have some flexibility, but when you put several dozen people on stage at the same time, it changes things.

It's one of the most wearing things about the job, and a big reason I sometimes think I'd like to step out of that aspect for a while. At least I've got a work partner now who volunteers to share the load on this and wants to do it together. If only the kids believed it wasn't ultimately all my doing, then that would help.