Monday, January 30, 2017

Flash Fiction #07: Equal Treatment



It's been a while since I've posted one of these. Maybe I should fix that. This one's a bit on the morbid side of things, but it's given a couple folks something of a chuckle. Anyway...



Lacey is a working woman working at an office of some kind. She enjoys working there, but feels that she's due for a raise in pay. Rather than ask for a raise, she decided to go for a more devious tactic.

Lacey burst into James' office (a shack) with fumes coming out of her ears. She expressed anger in regards to his unfair treatment towards him. When James asked to clarify, Lacey pointed out that the pay she earns isn't the same as the other males and that she shouldn't be held at a different standard because she's a woman.

Mr. James considered her words and replied, "Lacey, you're right. It isn't fair that you're not being treated the same as Burt over there. And I certainly shouldn't be treating you differently because you're a woman. I guess I should treat you the same way I treat Burt."

Lacey's eyes widened with glee. "So you're going to pay me as much as you've been paying Burt?"

Mr. James laughed a hearty laugh. "'Pay Burt?' What are you talking about? I don't pay Burt a damned thing while I've been giving you paycheques every week. But that's something I intend to fix."

He got up from his desk and placed a hand on Lacey's shoulder. "You've showed me the light, Lacey. I shouldn't treat you any differently from my male employees. So from here on, I won't be paying you anymore."

Lacey frowned. "Hold on... you're not going to pay me any more?"

"Nope! See, I've been losing money paying you because I figured a woman needed the money, but I see that I wasn't giving you equal treatment. So, from here on out, I'll treat you like all my other male employees. Unpaid and unloved from here on out."

"B-But I was hoping for a raise."

Again, Mr. James laughed a hearty laugh. "Well, Lacey, if you wanted a raise, you should've just asked for one. But then what about poor Burt, who gets no pay? Or all my other employees? Do you really think it's fair for me to give a woman a raise while all these guys work for free?"

Lacey hung her head and a lesson was learned. What that lesson was... we'll never know.

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