A SERENDIPITY / A Reasonable Way to Teach a Lesson

By Ron R. Lacson

I was in Kyoto, Japan. I was still working as a Quality Engineer then, and my job was to audit suppliers. My function was to make sure that our vendors comply with the standards.

I was with my Japanese colleagues and co-auditors Yukiko-san and Kagawa-san (both ladies); and a very arrogant Tanaka san, who thinks that he knows everything.

That day, we went to a factory called Kyocera. The car we took had to park a bit far from the factory because there was a long narrow road that we needed to walk. Tanaka-san refused to walk the path and instead wanted to enter a big open compound that appeared to be a shortcut to the factory. I told him that he could not do that because it’s private property and the occupants or the owners would try to stop him. He was overbearing and stubborn.

“I can enter there as I please,” said Tanaka-san. “If they stop me, I have my ‘Auditor ID’. My ‘ID Card’ gives me power and confidence. I’ll just show them my ID Card! Watch me.” I was completely pissed at him for being a jerk and for violating a simple rule of respecting private property. We could not stop him. And so he went in by himself.

After around 2 minutes, we heard loud noises. And from a safe distance, we saw Tanaka-san running back towards us; behind him were 2 Dobermann dogs barking and running after him. The dogs looked mad and appeared eager to grab him. We were shocked. We just stood and did nothing for a few seconds obviously because of being utterly surprised; only watching what was happening.

“You have to do something Ron-san, please help Tanaka-san,” said my Japanese lady colleagues. Tanaka-san was also screaming and shouting while running, “Ron-san! Ron-san! please help, tell me what to do with the dogs !!” In a combo of panicky and vindictive moods, and because I was still pissed off with him, I shouted back; - “SHOW THEM YOUR ID CARD! SHOW THEM YOUR ID CARD!"