J.S. Minion was a maintenance foreman in the Public Works department of Excelsior City. 密尼是埃克斯塞尔市公共事业部的一个维修工长。
He was a favorite of the senior officials at City Hall. They all praised his unfailing affability. 市政厅里的高级办公人员都很喜欢他。他们都赞赏他，因为他总是和蔼可亲。
"I like Minion,"said the Superintendent of Works. "He has good judgment and is always pleasant and agreeable." “我喜欢密尼，”公共事业部的主管说。“他有很好的判断力，总是和蔼可亲容易相处。”
This behavior was appropriate for Minion's position: he was not supposed to make policy, so he had no need to disagree with his superiors. 这样的举止与密尼的职位很相配：他无权决策，所以他没有必要与领导的意见相左。
The Superintendent of Works retired and Minion succeeded him. Minion continued to agree with everyone. 事业部的主管退休了，密尼接替了他的职位。密尼继续与每个人融洽相处。
He passed on to his foreman every suggestion that came from above. The resulting conflicts in policy, and the continual changing of plans, soon demoralized the department. 他向下属传达每一个领导的建议。决策上的冲突，计划的不断变更很快使部门士气受挫。
Complaints poured in from the Mayor and other officials, from taxpayers and from the maintenance workers'union. The Maintenance Department regularly exceeds its budget, yet fails to fulfill its program of work.市长和其他官员、纳税人和维修工人协会都怨声载道。维修部门经常超出预算，却无法完成工作目标。
Minion still says "Yes" to everyone, and carries messages briskly back and forth between his superiors and his subordinates. 密尼仍旧对每个人说着“是”，并且在上级和下属之间传递着信息。
