The Pros and Those who Refuse

I have a thing about not getting what I want. When I was a kid, I threw tantrums. I was a part-time brat. These days I turn into a bitch. But I try to moderate my evil side and I have come to realize that, most of the time, bitching doesn’t help so I just spontaneously combust.

Then again I can always write instead of bursting into angry flames. So here I go.

Four days ago, I had one of Yzee’s birthday treats done by supposed “experts.” They ended up disappointing me with their very poor outputs which I received today. I cannot go into detail on the exact outputs because I wouldn’t want to spoil Yzee’s birthday surprise. But I shall share my thoughts in general.

I could have done better than the job delivered by the “experts.” And I don’t even have an experience with regard their craft. That’s what I told them while I did my best not to snarl at them. They tried to defend their poorly executed work by presenting this excuse, “Namatayan kasi kami. Wala pa nga kaming tulog.”

I get the feeling that they wanted me to feel guilty for expecting them to do their job amidst their loss. I’m not sure if I should. After all when I gave them the job, no one was dead yet. If they did their task as soon as we closed our deal, then there wouldn’t have been any problems. Or they could have tried reaching me so that I would be able to pass the job on someone else who’s in a better disposition to satisfy my need. But then again, I am not cold-hearted. I can understand how death can get in the way of work. Although I still believe that it cannot be used as an excuse for screwing up. Yet somehow I can forgive them.

The case could have ended there. But the “experts” had to say, “Bakit hindi ninyo sinabi na dadalhin pala sa Singapore? E di sana ginanito natin [suggesting a procedure that ensured better quality outputs, with or without anyone dead].”

Ayan na naman! They pressed my button. They seemed to imply that special procedures only apply for those things we export. No wonder we, residents of this country, always have to settle with second rate produce! Grrr!

This, I am aware, everyone must know by now but let me say it anyway: We should always pour in our best in the things we do. Regardless if it is for special clients, or for foreigners, or for expats, we sign our names and plaster our faces on every work we complete. That thought alone should drive us to leave positive imprints on our creations. And if circumstances get in the way of our doing our job, we cannot use it as an excuse for presenting poor outputs. We can apologize but it is still our responsibility to start from the beginning, if we have to, just to deliver what is expected of us. Real life is not a classroom where you can tell the teacher, “the dog ate it,” when your homework looks like hell. In this world, once you deliver half-baked work, prepare to be ashamed of yourself. But redeem your soul by doing better next time, and the time after that, and the next time after the next time after that, and so on.

These principles define the wide line between the pros and those who refuse to be as professional as they should.