This week's chapter is called "The Forbidden Pool." In it, Frodo is woken in the middle of the night by Faramir. Faramir brings him to a ledge, at the bottom of which is the titular pool. He points out a creature in the pool, and tells Frodo the trespasser cannot be allowed to live. Frodo recognizes the creature as Gollum and begs Faramir to let him go down and talk to Gollum. Faramir allows this, and Frodo descends down a winding path.
As he does, he hears Gollum talking to himself. "Frodo shivered, listening with pity and disgust. He wished it would stop, and that he never need hear that voice again. Anborn [one of Faramir's men] was not far behind. He could creep back and ask him to get the huntsmen to shoot. They would probably get close enough, while Gollum was gorging and off his guard. Only one true shot, and Frodo would be rid of the miserable voice forever. But no, Gollum had a claim on him now. The servant has a claim on the master for service." Frodo feels he owes something to Gollum.
What does a master owe a servant? It's pretty obvious that the servant owes the master something. He is the servant. This is easily applied to our own time if one were to change "servant" to employee and "master" to employer. If you are an employee, you have a job to do. You are being paid to do that job. Therefore, you owe your employer a job well done.
"Hell, you're lucky to even have a job. Do you know how many people would be happy to take your job - and at half your wages? You better pull your weight around here and show some gratitude once in a while. Do you know how difficult it is to supervise you and your colleagues? You only have your own little task to mind - I need to ensure EVERY task around here gets done, preferably under budget! We have shareholders to report to!!"
It's obvious that the above is caricature. Employers should not act this way. Employers are not exempt from responsibility. They owe many things to their employees, morally if not legally. 8 hour work days, weekends (or at least regular, unpaid, days off), paid time off, health benefits, a clean work environment, a work environment devoid of hate and discrimination, etc.
I have held many supervisory roles throughout my career, and one thing I think I owe my staff is fair treatment. I may have favorites, and I may have friends that are on my staff, or I may have people on my staff I actively dislike. But if there is some sort of conflict, I try to forget all those things and evaluate the situation on its face. I have favorites, but I don't PLAY favorites. If I want my staff to give me their best work, regardless of personal feelings, then I owe them fair arbitration, regardless of personal feelings.
This also comes into effect in my work with kids. Friday I was teaching some students how to swing a bat. I had explained to them how, before doing anything else, one must look around to make sure no one is around who might get hit. After explaining this, another student joined us. I handed him the bat, showed him how to swing, and then started to walk away so he could try. However, he swung as soon as I was behind him, and he hit my elbow.
And while it hurt, I wasn't angry at him. As soon as it happened I realized I had not set him up for success. This isn't to say getting hit with the bat was my own fault. It was, in fact, his fault. He should have looked around. However, no one had told him this. So it's kind of unreasonable to expect him to just *know* that. I was hurt, he took responsibility and apologized, and that was that.
Yes, if you are employed you owe your employer a job well done. But there are some people who take this to an extreme, who let themselves get exploited. I don't mean slaves or the working poor or people with limited choices who are actually being exploited. I mean my educated peers who have jobs and don't like them but don't make an effort to change because "I'm lucky to have a job. I could be a kidnapped Nigerian girl who just wanted an education and won't you please sign this petition because this is horrifying and please let's use our voices to help these silenced girls be heard." Sorry - I got a little carried away there.
But as we owe our employers a job well done, we can also have certain expectations. We can expect our employers to not overwork us (And have the right to protest if they do). We can expect our employers to respect the fact we need time off to deal with personal issues (And have the right to protest if they do not). The good news is, and perhaps what I will say here is colored by my lucky personal history, most employers will do that, if you tell them ahead of time and help them cover their needs while you're away. You owe your employer a job well done - but not your soul and your happiness.
Frodo, in this chapter, again shows maturity and responsibility. Even though he despises Gollum, and even though he has the means to get him killed, he knows Gollum swore an oath, and that Frodo has a part in honoring that oath. Gollum swore to help Frodo, but he did not swear to put his life in Frodo's hands.
When we are servants, we would be fortunate to have masters as mindful as Frodo. When we are masters, we should strive to see our servants as more than just tools, but as people who deserve our respect.
But seriously. This Nigerian event is a tragedy, and you should sign the petition.
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