The manager of a large office noticed a new man one day and told him to come into his office. “What’s your name?” he asked the new guy.
“John,” the new guy answered.
The manager scowled, “Look, I don’t know what kind of place you worked before, but I don’t call anyone by their first name. It breeds familiarity and that leads to a breakdown in authority. I refer to my employees by their last name only – Smith, Jones, Baker – that’s all. I am to be referred to only as Mr. Robertson. Do you understand?”
As the new man nodded, the manager continued, “Now that we got that straight, what is your last name?”
The new guy sighed, “Darling. My name is John Darling.”
“OK, John, the next thing I want to tell you is…”
Source | Charles Hunter, Healing Through Humor
(Creation House, 2003) ) page 156.
We make rules, and yet we also make exceptions to the rules.
Is it possible that rules only apply when they’re acceptable to us?