Asking The Bad Questions

Transcribing a passage from Kitchen Confidential. I'm including the whole thing because . . . well it's my blog, so why the fuck not?

8. Be prepared to witness every variety of human folly and injustice. Without it screwing up your head or poisoning your attitude. You will simply have to endure the contradictions and inequities of this life [of a professional chef]. "Why does that brain-damaged, lazy-assed busboy take home more money than me, the goddamn sous-chef?" should not be a question that drives you to tears of rage and frustration. It will just be like that sometimes. Accept it.

"Why is he/she treated better than me?"

"How come the chef gets to loiter in the dining room, playing kissy-face with (insert minor celebrity here), while I'm working my ass off?"

"Why is my hard work and dedication not sufficiently appreciated?"

These are all questions best left unasked. The answers will drive you insane eventually. If you keep asking yourself questions like these, you find yourself slipping into martyr mode, unemployment, alcoholism, drug addiction, and death.

If one has any kind of interest in the Dallas Mavericks, there are a few questions one might want to ask in the light of last night's 117-108 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Questions like:

"Whaddaya mean Dirk's not in the starting lineup?"

"What line of reasoning did the Organization use when they decided to let Ryan Hollins walk?"

"Why is a team that sucks black holes on the road being allowed to shoot 53% from the floor? Why is any team ever allowed to shoot 54.5% on three point shots?"

"What else has Coach got in his bag of tricks?"

"Why does the effort on the floor not reflect the amount of dedication everyone in the organization says they have to be the best they can be?"

These questions and oh so much more are swirling in my head right now. And they're not going to get answered to my satisfaction. I don't know these men, I have no in with the Organization. I'm a fan; I'm excluded from the Need To Know no matter how much I wish or pretend otherwise.

So bury that desire and move on to what's next, because if I get hung up on what I want to know I'll go nuts. But. I can't help but wonder. And wonder if anybody else is asking these questions, people who do have the access, who do have the trust, who have the best interest for the Dallas Mavericks in mind.

One last question.

"We are all working for the same thing right now, right? An NBA title? Or has this season been written off for purposes of a championship?"
-BJ