The 15-Year-Obsolete Patent

Summary

For a mandatory company retreat, I took the day off to be with my husband for his surgery.

When I came back, my manager fined me five thousand dollars in front of the entire office.

"Company policy is crystal clear: group morale takes precedence over everything!" she declared. "Kate, as a department head, you led the charge in defying company rules. Your penalty is doubled!"

The next day, I saw her new assistant, a fresh college grad, sporting a brand-new five-thousand-dollar watch. And just like that, it all clicked.

So that's how we're playing it. Fine. I'm done.