2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Lucy discovers a confidential memo Barry sent Juan, per his direction, which is highly critical of her judgment, to the point where he requested a transfer. Was there anything in the communication that was wrong, unfair or out of context? In light of what happened to him, was he right to want to disassociate from Lucy?

I thought the memo was way over the top. In the last book, we knew he had done some digging into Lucy's time at Quantico and she was bent out of shape by that. I thought him asking questions was very normal. But after reading his memo, I felt he blew everything way out of proportion. I don't understand him saying that he wanted to transfer to another office.

With the damage that was done to his eye, I doubt Barry will be able to return to being an active field agent. But if he did, he should be happy to partner with her again. She, Sean, and company are the reason he's still alive.

I’ve got mixed feelings about this.

Was it harsh? OMG, yes! Did Lucy deserve this?, I don’t think so. But, did it fit Barry Crawford? Absolutely. I read this several times as the first made me a bit angry. After thinking about it for a bit, part of that anger came from my feelings for Lucy. Stepping back and looking at it objectively, there was nothing in it that was false or incorrect. What was off for me was the whole slant of it. While it was factual, he didn’t provide enough balance to his statements. Him wanting a transfer felt a little over the top.

That said, him being abducted was the fear he was expressing in this memo. Kind of hard to criticize him when he almost died because of being Lucy’s partner.

I felt the memo was well written and very complete. I don't understand his reasons for wanting to be transferred though. I could see him not wanting to work with her again.
Jonetta is right, the letter was very harsh. I felt bad for Lucy because she felt like they had worked things out and now she knows that they hadn't.

Can you imagine how she felt? I was proud of her for keeping it to herself and staying professional.

I would have been as devastated as she was. It was really a hit to her already low self-esteem.

I would have, too.

If it was earlier in the series, she might have had a meltdown and cried to Sean or whoever would listen. I'm glad she has matured and acted professionally.

She put her big girl pants on.

I had a hit piece memo written on me once upon a time and it was devastating. Everything Barry wrote was factual, but with the worst possible spin. Lucy had a right to be upset because she thought they had worked out their differences. Lucy is going to have to face Juan and what he choses to do, or not do, as a result of that memo. I was also proud of her for being to put it aside and continue doing what needed to be done.

Anita, how did you feel at the time? Did you just take it on the chin? Did you have to work again with the person who did it? How do you move on?

I had it done to me but the circumstances were different. My company, that I loved, was bought during the financial crisis. I hated working for the incompetent new folks so when one of my former co-workers stabbed me in the back, I was kind of happy because it led the way to a nice severance package. I always wondered if I had to still work there what I would have done.

I lucked out because the person who had it in for me wasn't well liked by upper management and although I had only been with the company for 2 years versus the person who had it in for me who had been there for 20 years, I came out on top and shortly thereafter her department was restructured and I was transferred to a department and a boss who respected my views and my work ethic.

Excellent!

I don’t understand why people can’t be adult enough to confront you face to face. At least here, Barry did voice these issues with Lucy. He just left her with the impression they’d moved forward. Obviously not.

I was disappointed that Barry wrote that long and condemning of a memo.

I was "damned by faint praise" by my high school counselor; that resulted in me losing a full fellowship to college (it was taken back).

On the positive side, I never would have met my husband. Still no excuse for a supposed adult to do that to a 17 yr-old girl...

Oh, Charlene, that was just mean…and abusive. Kudos to you for finding the silver lining.

FYI, my sister’s high school counselor tried to do the same thing to her. These positions, back in our day, were not filled with people who necessarily were qualified to be there.

I understand the reason Barry was asked to evaluate Lucy's performance. I understand some of Barry's comments, not all. People often have different methods of investigations. It doesn't mean one is wrong and one is right. Barry has the experience to know that. He was against Lucy from the start. He looked at everything Lucy did through Juan's mistrust. I don't see him as unbiased.

Even after seeing the memo, Lucy still took up for Barry.

She was more professional about it than he was.