My Boss Vs. Boxing

"The agency can't promote fighting," Les told me after he told me to take down a picture I had up on my door. It showed a businessman in a suit wearing boxing gloves with the title "Fight Club".

Let me explain something about where I work: I regularly witness the kids who live on the premises being disrespectful to staff. There are times when kids have to be placed in restraints because they go totally out of control. Most of the kids have no qualms about assaulting staff. I remember one person who walked around with bruises and black eyes for days after a kid caught them in a corner and beat them down. What the kids do is closer to no holds barred streetfighting, as opposed to boxing, which is a sport with rules. And yes, it is apparent that most of them knew how to punch, scratch and kick long before they ended up in the agency's care.

Later, I left a message for Les that basicially said I don't think he knows the difference between a fight on the street and a fight in a ring. He didn't comment on what I said, but that doesn't negate the fact. I don't think a boxing poster in my office has much influence on any of the kids' behavior. For one thing, they seldom come in my office, and truthfully, I would prefer that they don't. Second of all, I don't think they are paying that much attention to what is in my office, or to me, for that matter.

I was told I had to go to a mandatory meeting on Friday, despite the fact that it was geared towards the staff who work directly with the kids. I had to walk inbetween two buildings to get to the meeting, and it was cold. I put my warm hoodie on, and kept it on during the meeting, as it was cold in the room where the meeting was held. The president of the agency was running the meeting. It occurred to me that maybe Les might not have appreciated me wearing the hoodie. You see, it reads "Golden Gloves Boxing since 1923" in bold yellow letters set against blue fabric. I have worn it, as well as another hoodie that has "Ringside" emblazened across the front of it, often to my job. Funny. . . .I never noticed any of the kids spontaneously breaking out into fist fights when I've worn it. Uh-huh.