Short story: A loner likes to be a loner

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Alam Froner was working as a reconciliation clerk at a large Communications company. One day he was at work, and he was reconciling the bank accounts. He had done the first month, and he had the other 11 months still to do. The manager then appointed a helper to help Alam finish it quicker, as he, the manager, was going on holidays soon, and he wanted it finished before he went. Alam was a bit upset by this, as he wanted to do it alone, using his own methods, and not have to show someone else his ideas. This other worker, a man named Fred, arrived at Alam's desk to share it with him to enable closer working, which was also annoying to Alam. Alam had to clear off some stuff to make room for him there. The guy using Alam's desk before him had left a whole stack of collectable football papers/magazines there, on the wall side of the desk. Alam said to Fred, "We should not just bin these, as the guy might come looking for them someday." Alam took them all, and the new guy followed him outside of the room, up the corridor, around a corner, or two, to a store room, where Alam shelved them on a shelf, still with some room on it there. Then, they walked back to their room, but for some reason Fred walked very fast, moving well ahead of Alam, for some reason of his own. Alam let him go ahead, but then Fred took a left turn, instead of a right. He had forgotten his way back. He was too far ahead, for Alam to call out, and Alam didn't feel like doing so anyway. Alam turned right, went down the corridor, and back to his desk. Alam expected that Fred would realise he had taken a wrong turn, ask someone for directions, and turn up again later. Alam did not like working closely with someone else like that, but preferred to work alone. Alam finished the next month before the guy came back, and when he did come back, Alam was not there anymore. He had taken an early lunch. Perhaps, Alam was showing Fred by this, by his not chasing after him, but letting him go wrong, that he did not like the play of the situation at all. So, they had gotten off to a bad start. Later, that afternoon, though, Alam had to buckle down, and show Fred what to do, to help him balance the bank reconciliations. Alam had the last laugh though, as it took longer with them doing it together, than he would have taken on his own. It was not finished by the time the boss was due to go on holiday, and he was upset about that. Alam smiled, and said: "Well, I had to show someone, who knew nothing about this job, how to do it, and then I had to correct all of the mistakes that he then made too." "Sometimes, to get a job done quicker, it is better just for the one doing it to do it." "An inexperienced sidekick just kicks the stool from under him, rather than helping to prop him up." The Boss, winced, screwing up his face, did an about-turn, and went back to his office. He didn't want to get het up, when he was already half in his holiday mind, already. Sometimes, we need to recognise the loner, and allow them to continue to be so, as they do their best work that way. Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com Alam was a good worker, but he worked his best work on his own. Whilst working alone is ok, at times, the balanced person realises that not all can be done in that way, and at times, we have to allow teamwork to have its day too.