When I don’t know something, I ask, and I will never be ashamed about that. If y'all want to put me down for asking a question, so be it. That’s a reflection of your character, not of mine.
I guess I must be missing something. You originally asked "What does this mean?" I answered, explaining that, unlike many others, I never got parental words of wisdom, nor did I have siblings who could offer their advice.
To which you replied, "I meant what does “being a ‘an opening’” mean?" (BTW, I said being "an a opening".) When I corrected your misquote asked you replied , "Hope that has worked out for you."
To which I answered, "It did. Thanks.", assuming you were actually talking about the best advice someone received in their lifetime. Surely you couldn't be hung up on the meaning of "a opening". Really?
I spent 28 years working for a Fortune 20 company and earned an outstanding reputation for playing fair and being a straight shooter. In fact, after giving a technical update to the executive team during a particularly onerous project, I had a VP say to me afterwards (in private) that "Great job, Scott. You have a way of getting the truth out without angering people." He went on to say, "What impresses me most about you is that I don't think you have any enemies in the company." Flattering words that made my day!
Which takes me back to the advice I was given by that first manager - "Nothing will get you fired around here faster than being an "a opening". Taking this advice to heart was without question the best advice I ever received in my life. I had a career than most people would envy. Probably the biggest part of my career success was treating my colleagues with respect and consideration.
I now realize your original question was directed to the "an a opening". Are you really asking what that means? If so, my reference to "an a opening" relates to the place "where the sun doesn't shine" or "stick it up your...". To me my reference was obvious. To further make my point, Preparation H is a well known treatment for people having problems with their "a opening".
Does that answer your question?
And to further clarify one of my subsequent comments about being a "straight shooter". By no means does that mean I shot and killed people at work!!! What that cliche means is that I played fair, told the truth, and didn't talk out of both sides of my mouth.
And BTW, talking out of "both sides of my mouth" - that means telling one person one thing and another person something else. I never did that because that would have been "a opening" behavior, at least by my definition.
I'm glad we finally cleared this up!
Scott