Trust is a thing which can be difficult to assess. One considers trust to be earned and valued. It’s a thing of beauty when it is validated but can be devastating to be let down by someone or something trusted. Trust is about shared emotions but can erode over time if not nurtured and fed with mutual understanding and respect.
According to Psychology Today, trust is “the belief that someone or something can be relied on to do what they say they will”
Here is a new short story
It took a while for Tony to decide which way he was going to go. The end to the internal employment tribunal was coming up next week and he was, he thought, the only friend George could rely on to speak up for him after the event.
The days went by quickly enough for Tony and he had practised every day what he was going to say.
Taking their daily walks and making each other laugh was a favourite pastime for Tony and George. Tony had known George since he had been hired by him seven years ago. George had helped Tony, get the job he had now, had written his personal development for annual bonuses even.
George seemed really scared. As they walked along the pathway, Tony could see that in his demeanour, he looked tired and as he walked along joking with him, making him smile, they swapped jokes and talked about the days coming up for him.
George thought to himself that there was no doubt that he had made the mistake in hiring and trusting Julie and Jimmy. But George had always treated Tony with respect hadn’t he? George would always trust Tony. Tony was solid, he could be relied upon, trusted. How long had they known each other and how many times had George saved Tony from losing his job?
Julie though, was the office gossip and couldn’t hold her own piss. You never told Julie anything personal and Jimmy was the wide boy; the person everyone liked and would apologise every time he fucked up and everyone would forgive him, even George. The one who when late for work, would be covered by George and scolded by George alone. "it won't happen again, George" seemed to be a frequent Jimmy refrain.
It was those two that had seemingly brought the charges to bear...
George wore his suit and a shirt neatly pressed with a matching tie and looked the professional on final day of which George felt he had been unfairly dealt with as if he was actually on trial for something criminal or sinister.
He waited outside the door until he was called in to the room; (to be summoned in, like a naughty schoolboy due to be chastised by the wicked headmaster). Only this headmaster was a head mistress holding the managerial position of HR Manager and Ethics Officer for the firm George had worked for for 30 years.
He knew and decided that if he just acknowledged the charges and apologised for his so called behaviour, that when Tony spoke up in his defence, surely then all would blow over, he would take it on the chin and get a written warning perhaps?
This thing had been going on for about a month now though and George, deep down, really just wanted to leave it all behind him, perhaps just retire early. But he had worked at this business for those 30 years man and boy and won awards too. He needed to pay for his mortgage and his wife's healthcare too and so retirement wasn't really a viable option this year.
He didn’t know how all this really started, just an anonymous complaint about his work ethics?
When he walked into the room, seeing Tony sitting opposite it made him feel that he had made the right decision to finish up their investigation and get back to some normality.
“Now George, this is final day of the examination of your conduct” she started, “please sit down”.
“Thanks”, said George.
“Tony has come up with something new today”
A secure feeling crept into George’s stomach as he leaned forward to listen to the new evidence.
Tony, please go on”.
“Yeah, well, I mean, he’s been, well, like, well he’s always had this trait of being a bullish person. We had a walk the other day and he tried to manipulate me in bringing stuff to the meeting saying that if, I didn’t do it, he would make my life a misery, like Julie and Jimmy. It was why, I brought the stuff to you in the first place Miss!
Poem
The way you acted was not what I expected
Protecting your own image showed the cruellest sound
In lies and Machiavellian posturing which brought nothing but hurt and affected the verdict.
Our circle of trust was broken - once being the only good thing around !