The Offer to Help
Listen To The Following Reading
Cara noticed her coworker, Lucas, struggling to finish a report before the deadline. Wanting to help, she organized part of the data and sent it to him with a quick note saying, “I filled in some details to save you time.” When she saw him later that day, he barely said a word.
That evening, Cara told her friend,
“I was just trying to lend a hand, but he acted like I’d crossed some line. I didn’t mean to step on his toes. I thought he’d appreciate the help, but instead, he just looked annoyed. Maybe I should’ve checked in before doing anything, but I can’t figure out what I did wrong. I was trying to be thoughtful.”
Meanwhile, Lucas texted his brother after work, still frustrated.
“I know she was trying to help, but it felt like she took over my project. I’ve been working on that report for days, and now it looks like she did all the heavy lifting. I didn’t want to make a scene, so I just kept quiet. Still, it rubbed me the wrong way—like she didn’t trust me to do my job.”
Discussion Prompts
Explain what Cara was feeling after Lucas reacted to her help.
What did Cara mean when she said:
lend a hand
step on his toes
checked in
figure out
Explain what Lucas was feeling after receiving the help.
What did Lucas mean when he said:
took over
working on
make a scene
rubbed me the wrong way
What do their words reveal about how intentions and interpretations can change the meaning of an action?
