Hi Gang:
I worked on the Paint and Scaffold Crew at Brooklyn. I was assigned to help paint on Factory Bldg No. 5. There were around 6 of us there I think. We had an overseer who really loved himself. He liked to throw his weight around too.
One day, I was getting into my dress clothes at the end of the day when the overseer came into the locker room and announced to everyone that he needed to see me in his "office". His "office" consisted of a very old desk in the corner of this floor that was undergoing renovations. We had our painting supplies all around us. He had me sit in an old dilapitated chair.
He told me that he had a question to ask me. He wanted to know why I smiled so much. I could not really answer that question. I think I was too shock to think of an answer. In any case, I got a lecture on the evils of smiling too much while working. It lasted a good 30 minutes I believe. At the end of the lecture, I was told not to discuss with anyone what we had talked about. Then I was dismissed.
When I got back to the locker room, my workmates who also had their own run ins with this guy wanted to know what we had talked about. So, naturally, I told them.
By the way, at the end of the discussion with this guy, I smiled.
Jeff S.