Dear So and So

[lph]

"Richard Heads"??

My turn:

dear middle boss,

most of the time I like you. You're funny, outgoing, friendly and refreshingly straightforward. But sometimes your "aw shucks, can't we just keep this simple" tone can be a bit grating. Like when you're axing half the work I did last week. I spent three days writing that letter. I ran it by my so-called superior (who isn't because he doesn't do his job, but that's another matter) - he wanted a lot more wordy fluff and everything repeated three times, in illogical order. I carefully sifted through his additions, kept the essentials, re-ordered it and ditched the fluff. I ran it by the legal people. They tweaked a bit. I ran it by my closest boss. He thought it was great.

So when you suddenly turn up and cut half of what I've written it is a bit annoying. It's fine that you want to cut it down, but grant me a little respect. You don't have to go on and on in an exasperated "I am the voice of reason" tone implying how pointlessly detailed and unnecessary it all is. And when you in addition look to my so-called superior for agreement - who is suddenly weathervaning and agreeing all over the place with you that this should be as short as possible - I start seething inside. I'm one of the best writers you have, and I don't deserve that tone.

Yeah, I know you noticed me seething. Good.