Can we use this as a doorstop now?

At my previous job, I had a coworker who was the most naive person I’ve ever met. He meant well, but sometimes it was like he was living in a world of his own.

For instance, the other day, we were busy doing something. He was humming to himself, so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t even notice when the conveyor belt jammed. While the rest of us were trying to fix the issue, he just kept packing away, completely oblivious to the chaos around him. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He was so focused but had no idea something was wrong.

Then there was the time he tried to make a joke about one of our outdated safety manuals. He held it up and said, “Can we use this as a doorstop now?” I almost felt my heart break a little when nobody laughed. He genuinely thought he was doing something funny, but instead, he just received awkward silence. He just wanted to lighten the mood.

Every day with this coworker is an adventure, and while it’s easy to chuckle about his naive antics, my heart goes out to him. He just wants to be a part of the team, and sometimes it feels like the world is so big and confusing for him. I can’t help but feel a mix of pity and affection. It’s like he’s a puppy in a room full of sharp corners, just trying to find his way without getting hurt.