God never shuts one door...
I did tell you all about our new motorway service station just off the M1 at Balbriggan, the star of the east. The boss had been ranting on about it being his favorite station and the best looking station in the country etc..,. Well, it seems Mary, the league topping boss of Applegreen Balincollig was very upset. She was quick to point out that she may very well run the best looking station in the country. When I pointed this out to the boss he simply chuckled his trademark chuckle, muttered something about wanting to provoke some healthy competition and having obviously succeeded, and shuffled off chuckling to himself.
Now nobody could accuse the boss of being an emotional person. Although he has been known to be kind and merciful from time to time, emotional is not a word one would use about him. He does have the capacity however to stir emotional responses from other people. After one of the bosses speeches we all feel a little better, but, rather than relaxing and wallowing in the glory of his praise, most of us go and work twice as hard. Why he even has the same effect on the opposition! No sooner does he open another, better, Applegreen store, than the opposition are upping their game and improving their services. The man's a wonder. As soon as he has a good idea, before you know it, everyone's doing it.
I asked him once to what he attributed this gift for motivation and inspiration he seems to have. He replied "Son", (I guess he forgot my name again...) "God never shuts one door, without slamming another"....and off he went smiling to himself. I tore my hair out for a week. I started coming to work early and leaving late. Working twice as hard as before. Surely I thought the wisdom of this profound statement would reveal itself to me, eventually.
Sometimes I see the boss looking at me sadly and smiling to himself. He's a strange one.
