american ethics

so i'm working with the model, (training him, and yes, he is pretty), and the engineering student of questionable work ethics.

we're mostly through a most pleasant shift, when the engineer pulls out the log where we note what we've done in terms of sampling.

i'm going to fabricate some samples here.

what?

i said.

i'm going to fabricate some samples. you don't expect me to actually sample, do you?

i said,

you write whatever you want in that book, just don't put my name on it.

serious?

yes. i don't write down that i have done things i haven't done.

it's just a little white lie. i lie to people all the time, telling them i've tasted coffees i haven't.

yes, but where do you draw the line?

in my mind the line is very far.

exactly. it's a question of what your conscience allows.

right. i could kill someone right here and my conscience would allow it.

sure.

i said,

but i'd rather take the heat for not doing something i didn't do, than say i did something i didn't.

you're honest. you know honesty doesn't get you far in america?

of course not, but should that stop me from being honest?

wow.

he kept looking at me like he'd never met an honest person in his life.

i told him, it's the big stuff i want a break on, because i agree, the "return" on honesty feels more like penalty than reward. but if i can sleep at night, the sleep of innocence, that is plenty for me.

i'm sure he's not all americans. i'm sure he's not even a large majority. but the is something to be said for keeping your word, even if no one else knows you're keeping your word. you do.

that, at the end of the day, is enough.