Saturday, May 13, 2006

A Parable

Everybody is complaining about it; everybody is talking about it. Juan has bad breath! His friends know about. His co-workers are disturbed about it. Juan's bad breath has a way of irritating almost everybody. But nobody dares tell Juan about it. He has an influence in the workplace. He has a temper and a sensitive nature. So everybody talks about it, but nobody tells Juan about it.

Except for Juana, a co-worker. She hears about the complains and the talks about Juan's oral condition. She knows that it is affecting the workplace especially when Juan starts to talk near a colleague or a superior. What if he begins to talk to a customer and a client? Her friends urge her to tell Juan about it.

So Juana tells Juan about it.

Juan reacts violently.

He calls his friends and tells what Juana has told him. His friends, who do not want Juan to get "hurt" start to gang up on Juana. They spread lies and talk about her. Juan and his friends think that by destroying Juana's reputation, what she told about Juan's bad breath may turn out to be untrue! Soon, many begin to treat Juana like she has the leprosy. They start to avoid her.

On the other hand, Juana's friends can not believe that this is happening to their friend. They start to avoid Juan and his friends, too.

The workplace is now divided.

In the meantime, Juan's halitosis is still there; it is getting worse than ever!