Interrogate

Sun was setting and Jason was pulling the tracker into the barn to shut things down for the day.?

While he was closing the big red barn doors he saw a cloud of dust moving up his driveway. As the cloud got larger he could see Freddy’s bright red truck barreling toward the house.?

Jason went over to greet Freddy, then headed inside to grab his flannel. With the changing of the season there is a cool nip in the air. Jason also felt like it was going to be a late night, staying warm was a priority.?

Whistling for Meyer and closing the front door behind them, the two started down the short set up stairs toward Freddy.?

Freddy was already sitting in the side by side with a huge thermos he was drinking out of. Whatever it was, it was hot, Jason laughed a little to himself. “That thermos looks like a chimney at a paper mill”, he thought.?

“Sit, sit, sit”, commanded Freddy. “We have a lot to do if we are going to save your corn maze on time, no one wants to walk through a corn maze the day after Halloween.” With that statement Freddy pressed on the gas and they took off for the maze.?

Freddy looked at Jason and pointed to a much smaller thermos, “That’s yours, it’s warm apple cider.” Jason picked the steel thermos and cracked the lid as steam escaped. He looked over at Freddy, “Thank you. I’m a little curious what our plan is.” Jason asked, taking a sip of the cider.?

Freddy pulled the side by side over just as the moon lit up the corn field. “Jason, you see that it’s beautiful isn’t it!” Jason didn’t want to toot his own horn but it did look great under the moonlight.?

Then Jason noticed there was only one scarecrow on the field! It was Gage who was the only one trying to fend off the enemy.?

“ Look there Jason”, Freddy pointing at Gage. “ You know why I started with Gage?” Jason shook his head.?

“Because he has the best vantage point and is the one being taken advantage of. In my experience Jason there are four Killjoys that can infect a team. Gage is your Gossip that’s one Killjoy. Useful for us while trying to gain insight, not particularly helpful to the team though.”?

Jason looked confused asking, “ So all killjoys are bad then?” Freddy putting down his thermos shouted, “Absolutely!” Jason rebutted, “It seems like gossip helped us out right?”?

Freddy got up and walked to the front of the side by side looking into the maze. “That’s correct Jason. When I was in the Army I interrogated a lot of people. See, typically you don’t catch the top boss on the first try. That’s why we would interrogate different members on the other side to gain more intel about where he possibly is.”?

Jason, still sitting in the passenger seat asked, “ Why are gossips bad then. It seems like they are helpful?”?

Freddy slowly made his way toward Jason, grabbed his shoulder and said, “ Gossips only gossip based on some type of motivating factor. Sometimes it could be to gain a position over someone else other times it’s to distract from their own dysfunction. Regardless of the reason, there is going to be someone who pays the price for someone else’s gossip.”?

Freddy then nudged Jason over across the bench seat to the drivers side, then pointed toward the corn stocks.?

“But Gage isn’t our first stop tonight. We are going to pay a little visit to EGO Elliott. Ego is a tough Killjoy.” Jason looked at Freddy thinking he was done then… “You have to determine if it’s confidence or arrogance. Confidence comes from an authentic competence. When you are competent you understand your role, and how to contribute to the team. Where arrogance is a desire to look competent while dealing with insecurities. This is why it’s so harmful to a team. If you aren’t healthy yourself how are you ever going to contribute to the team.”?

Jason shook his head in agreement. While Freddy was talking Jason remembered playing football in college and there was a guy on the team who was so arrogant, and he rode the bench! Then the one time he did get into the game because of an injury. He blew it because he didn’t know the plays.?

Jason and Freddy were now pulling up to the entrance of the maze. This is where Elliott was supposed to be stationed. But was nowhere to be seen.?

Jason looked at Freddy and asked, “So, how are we going to deal with Ego?”?

Freddy smirked, “You have to go toe to toe, or in this case toe to stick.”?

The two men got out of the side by side and turned on their flashlights. Scanning the stocks for any sign of Elliott. Then a large black shadow started walking toward them.?

Freddy quickly flashed his light toward the shadow, illuminating a large overly stuffed scarecrow, straw was sticking out of everywhere from Elliott trying to puff himself up.?

Freddy stepped right up to the scarecrow, “Elliott?”