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PROGRAM D-7912

Do you tend to overreact? I can share with you that this is one of my major weaknesses. Our friend, Fran, is having that struggle today. She had a meeting with her biggest client. He wasn’t satisfied with the research she did on their latest project, and has told her to come back with better research.

This bruised Fran’s ego considerably, as she takes great pride in doing the job right the first time and going the extra mile. She has interpreted Mr. LeFevre’s frank and candid remarks as harsh, cruel and unprofessional. When her friend, Louise, gently tried to reason with her, she wanted none of it. Sometimes we don’t want to give up our pity parties, do we? Because then we have to face ourselves!

As she’s leaving the office that afternoon, she decides to drop by her aunt and uncle’s home. She’s always been close to them, but since her father’s untimely death, Uncle George has really helped her like her dad used to do. She feels confident he will take her side, right? She calls her aunt and uncle, picks up the kids, and heads over to their house.

“Oh, Fran,” her uncle says as he opens the door, “I’m so glad you came by. Hi, Kids, how’re you doing?”

After a little small talk, Uncle George says, “Is something wrong, Hon?”

“Does it show that much?” Fran asks.

“Well, I know you pretty well,” he says, as he puts his arm around her.

“Oh, I had a rough meeting with my biggest client, Mr. LeFevre,” Fran says. Tears start to come to her eyes, “It’s probably no big deal but he really let me have it today in front of everybody. You know that big promotion I’ve been working on—well, he said I didn’t have sufficient research to proceed and to ‘take it back to the drawing boards,’ to use his words. He said there were too many unanswered questions.”

Fran pauses and looks at Uncle George, waiting for his response, still fighting to hold back her tears. He nods and says, “And. . .”

“And what?” Fran raises her voice. “Isn’t that enough?”

“Well, I mean, is that all he said?” he asks.

“Don’t you think that was very rude and unprofessional of him? I mean, in front of everybody. . .” Fran says in frustration.

“Who was there?” Uncle George asks.

“His assistant, Bernie, and Jim from the Art Department,” Fran says.

“Uh, huh,” he cautiously responds. “That’s not exactly ‘everybody’, Fran,” he says.

“Oh, you just don’t understand, Uncle George!” Fran is angry. “I guess you’re thinking it was just a female overreaction, huh?”

“No, Fran. . .” he tries to respond. “Maybe I just don’t understand the situation, like you say. But it just doesn’t sound like he was that tough on you.”

In frustration, Fran replies, “Okay, if that’s how you see it. I just think he was unnecessarily brutal. I guess you just don’t understand the situation.”

This conversation is going downhill fast.