Doc: I have a good friend who owns a prosperous business. I’ll call him “Oscar.” Oscar has no clue that one of his employees, “Shirley,” is stealing big chunks of money from him.
I feel bad for the friend who is being taken, and also for the person doing the stealing. I know them both well, and if I were to tell him, Oscar would lose both a friend and an employee. Shirley has worked for him for more than a dozen years. Her son and her brother now work for him, too. If I blow the whistle, Shirley could lose her home and other investments.
This could get very ugly, and I don’t want to be in the middle. Please tell me what to do.
Too late and tough shit, you are already in the middle. You know the situation and you know both of them. You may not be caught in the middle totally just yet because you can walk away and say nothing but that doesn’t help anyone.
“Oscar” may be getting taken advantage of but anyone who can get ripped off in “big chunks” and not catch on leaves a little to be desired when it comes to business abilities. Regardless of his street smarts and savvy when it comes to dealing with people, Shirley doesn’t deserve a dime of that money. I, frankly, don’t give a shit that she may lose her house and other investments. She’s enough of a scumbag to have gotten those in less than honest ways. Oscar will not lose a friend because a friend wouldn’t rip you off like that. If she’s worked for him for more than a dozen years and has gotten jobs there for other family members then she owes Oscar the common fucking courtesy to not take his money. Capitalizing on a boss’ inability to keep good books is like molesting a retard with no legs. They can’t fight back and you just don’t get the same satisfaction as you would if you manipulated a fully capable person.
Check your emotions at the door and don’t think about who you feel bad for. Oscar needs to pay better attention to his finances and Shirley needs to not be a money grubbing whore, but that’s all wishful thinking. I need to get blown morning, noon and night but we have to make do with the hand we’re dealt, right?
Here’s what I’d do if I were you… Go to Shirley and call her out. Tell her you know what she’s been up to and tell her that at that moment she is to give you all the details, including amounts. From there make a decision; can you take a big enough of cut of Shirley’s skimming to keep your trap shut? If not, to go Oscar and maybe he’ll hook you up with a few bucks in the short term for saving him tons in the long run. If you’re smart, you’ll squeeze Shirley then go back to Oscar anyway.
Luck is simply recognizing opportunity.
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