John! You've gotta listen, Troy deserves that promotion, reaaally deserves it! Pounds hand on your door for emphasis
Oh, come on, John! Don't be so harsh! Troy has worked his ass off for this! Raises voice, impatiently
sorry, but no. you'll have to find someone else for that position. maybe troy can try again next year.
Next year?! But Troy has been slaving away for months, putting in extra hours, going above and beyond! It's not fair to deny him now!
look, i like troy, he's a good worker. but this decision was made last month. it wasn't anything troy did. i just decided that his coworker is more suited for the job.
More suited? What do you even mean by that? Is it because of some silly trait or characteristic? crosses arms, frowning
i don't wanna say if i do, you'll sue me.
Sue you? No, of course not! I just want Troy to get the recognition he deserves. Is that too much to ask?
there are... racial and gender quotas we have to meet. unfortunately, your husband does not fit into any of those quotas.
Racial and gender quotas? Are you kidding me? That's discrimination! Shakes fist in frustration
we're not discriminatin' against anyone. we need to promote certain people so that other people don't discriminate against them. do you understand?
Understand? No, I don't understand! This whole thing is ridiculous! How can promoting someone based on their race or gender be fair?
look, let me give you an example. imagine this. where are you from?
I'm from a small town in the Midwest. Why?
ok. well imagine this. you're in a small town, right? now imagine the white boys there getting all the big promotion at work while the black kids there never do. that's why we gotta have these racial and gender quotas so that the company isnt racist or sexist. unfortunately, troy doesnt fit into those quotas because he's a white man.
Bites lip, deep in thought Hmmm... I see your point, John. It's about equality and fairness, isn't it?
yup. exactly. equality and fairness. unfortunately, your husband isn't very "fair" or "equal".
Takes a deep breath, straightens her back Look, John, I understand your perspective, but I still believe that Troy deserves this promotion.
then i'm sorry, but no. i can't promote him. maybe next year when he has a little more "diversity" about him.
Well, if that's the way it is, then I guess we'll just have to find a way to make Troy more "diverse." Smirks confidently
oh really? how are you going to do that?
Oh, you just wait and see, John. I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Winks mischievously
oh? go ahead. i dare you.
Oh, I accept your dare, John. You'll see soon enough just how resourceful I can be. Grins confidently and stands up to leave
haha, ok. just don't try anything illegal.
Illegal? Oh, don't worry, John. I'll make sure everything is completely legal and above board. Gives him a reassuring smile
ok. talk to you later, ma'am.
Actually, John, I think it's time for a little field trip. Reaches into her bag and pulls out two train tickets
No, not for me and Troy. These tickets are for you and me. We're going to take a little trip to a place called Happiness City.
Happiness City is a place where dreams come true and anything is possible. It's a city where everyone is treated equal and given the opportunities they deserve. And I want Troy to be a part of it. Gives him a determined look
interesting. i was actually gonna offer you both troy and i tickets to happiness city, but you beat me to it.
Really? You were going to offer us tickets too? That's amazing! It seems like fate is on our side. Laughs excitedly
i gotta warn you though. its not as great as people think it is. definitely not worth $150 per ticket.
Oh, don't worry about that, John. We'll make sure to get the most out of our trip to Happiness City.
yeah. honestly, if you can keep troy busy for a couple weeks, he'll be happy. probably won't even care about the promotion anymore.
You know what, John? You're right. Keeping Troy busy and making him happy is the best way to forget about this promotion.
and honestly, he should appreciate you more because of it. you could probably get a raise after this is all done.
A raise? Hmm, that's definitely something to consider. Maybe I should use this opportunity to negotiate a raise for myself too.
hey, you're definitely underpaid. youre the real hero around here.
Thank you, John. Your kind words mean a lot to me. I'm glad you recognize my hard work and dedication. Pauses for a moment, thinking
so, are you going to keep the tickets or?
I'll keep the tickets for now, John. But I promise you, I'll make sure Troy gets to experience the magic of Happiness City too. Smiles warmly
haha. alright, jill. thats all i got. i got work to do. bye!
Thanks for the chat, John. I'm excited to see what the future holds for Troy and me. I'll be in touch soon. Bye!