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To: Jamestown1630
Well, we were alone together, and he was obviously near tears - not just because he had been humiliated but because he was in fear of losing his job as well.

I still would not have wanted a hug. It's interesting that in that situation your instinct was to not give a hug. It sounds like you later felt somewhat guilty about acting (or not acting in this case) based on that instinct. Instincts exist for a reason, whatever that reason may be, and chances are they are correct. A few consoling words, which I'm sure you provided, would have been more than sufficient if I were in his shoes.

76 posted on 07/01/2019 3:35:09 PM PDT by KevinB ("Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge." - Charles Darwin)
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To: KevinB

I’m not sure my ‘instinct’ was that the man wouldn’t have appreciated it - workplace dynamics alone often overcome and inhibit accurate instinct and nature.

(He was a Black man younger than I, and lower on the ‘totem pole’ in the organization; but there existed a great deal of respect between us. I still wish I had given him a hug - it’s a greater investment than just words, and in the moment would have meant much more than the mere words I was able to muster.)


77 posted on 07/01/2019 3:46:31 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it")
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