Exact People

Greetings Fellow Vikings! As survivors of the world I am sure you all must have experienced your fair share of exacting persons. You know, the types who put a tape measure on everything. Quantification is the name of their game.

Have you ever known individuals who keep track of every single phone call they have made to you and each gift they have given over the years, and if by some reason you did not reciprocate in kind they will kvetch until thy kingdom come often exclaiming they have done more for you than you have for them?

These persons may be family, friends or mere acquaintances who choose to count every deed, action or kindness they have ever dispersed hoping it will be given back measure for measure.

To be honest, I never really paid attention to such people because I am not an exact person. If I am able to help someone and it doesn’t pose a terrible inconvenience for me I am happy to oblige.

I am the friend who will call “just because” without keeping track who called the other more recently.

However, I will not participate in exacting displays by whipping out a pencil and notebook documenting each time I have helped each person and how much time I spent, etc. I feel that is God’s job to keep track of our good deeds.

Despite my matter of fact approach regarding being a good, kind human being I realized I would come up against people who were exacting to a fault. If they gave me an apple in the 1970’s, they expected 10 apples in return in the current year.

It often seemed that whatever they did was more worthy of being lauded and praised as opposed to when you gave freely of your time and genuine concern. Mind you, I am not one to ever forget a kind deed, however when I find folks are quick to overlook my acts of kindness and make themselves seem larger than life it really rubs me the wrong way.

For instance, I previously wrote about the time when I worked for a global beverage company and I was given the approval to use the expense card. Although I made it my business to pay all expenses before they were even due, my supervisor at the time re-negotiated his words and made it seem as if I were being insubordinate by using the personalized expense card when he had given me permission to do so.

Even though all the other male employees were using the card for pleasure and personal activities he decided he would thoroughly embarrass me for using the card in emergency situations.

All the debts owed on the card were paid but as I sat thinking about his aggrandizing and condescending nature I remembered that my notary skills were not part of my employment package when I went to work at the firm.

As a goodwill gesture I agreed to notarize documents pertaining to their Department Of Transportation woes. At first I did not think it was going to be hundreds of documents. I thought one or two at best.

Over a period of a few months I signed hundreds of documents and was never paid for it. Nor given a raise as a result. As most people may know, the notary fee for each document is $2.00 and as I tallied up what would have been owed to me, I figured it was way above $600.

Normally, I would not be an exacting person but since I was made to feel like a vagabond who was trying to pull a fast one, then it is only fair I count what skills I brought to the table. In this situation besides all my other professional abilities I brought my notarial skills which are marketable.

The more I examine the matter, it became quite clear that my boss at the time was being deceptive in order to appear resourceful and frugal in the eyes of his superiors at my expense.

The truth be told, he was notorious for taking all the accolades for tasks which were diligently conducted by members in the department. He seldom gave coherent instructions and would basically dump and run, going AWOL for several days at a time.

Once the work was completed he would swoop in and take all the credit leaving my fellow employees and I feeling duped.

Exactness is not a character trait that anyone should aspire to because there are some forms of kindness which can never be repaid. We may try to reciprocate by being thoughtful, but there are times when people give so selflessly that the only repayment that seems befitting is a deep heartfelt thank you.

My granny often told me, “It is not what you do but how you do it.”

You cannot be exacting with people who are often in your corner offering their assistance whenever you need it. There are times when we have to choose our battles wisely. In my world, I will only warp into an exacting twit when others attempt to make me feel as if I am trying to get over or insinuate I am invaluable.

As far as I am concerned, in my lifetime I have never accepted more than I have deserved and never given less than what was given to me, except in times of adversity.