Monthly Archives: December 2010

I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night

Well the last posting was a bit intense, all about the managerial shenanigans at work. That was then, this is now. I worked yesterday and as it turned out Calvin’s holiday get together was postponed until January. It was busy and we were supposed to close at 5:00 but at 5:15 people kept coming in.

I didn’t leave until a little before 6:00 and walked down the avenue listening to the first 4 songs on the B-52’s second album, Wild Planet. Chasing rainbows in the mud. I caught a waiting bus and soon I was home for only a little while.

I called my sister in law Elaine and told her we would get there around 8:00. Bill got the car as I got things ready. He texted when he was outside and I joined him, trying to figure out how to operate the controls on the car seat.

Garfield was nice and warm and cozy as we sat in the house where Frank and Elaine live. Elaine made a leg of lamb which was very good and I ate a lot of it as well as couscous, potatoes and veggies. And a whole lot of cookies and brownies to bring home. Rob & Meghan joined us a little after we got there and it was a good thing they ate already since Bill and I were starving.

Corinne surprised me and Bill with Guinness cans and pint glasses from Dublin, when Corrine was last in Ireland earlier this year. And a lovely Beatles fleece blanket which came in handy last night. Bill and I came home a little before midnight.

We were both tired from the previous 24 hours, with Bill driving a bus to and from Washington DC and me working retail and as being sick midweek Still, despite being oh so very tired, we managed to exchange presents once it was officially Christmas.

I got Bill an electronic keyboard which rolls up. It’s quite flat. We don’t know what it sounds like but there are supposedly 100 sounds available at his fingertip. I gave him his leather jacket last week since I had a limited amount of time if it needed to be returned and it didn’t need to be returned.

He’s been wearing it more often, but not for work as it’s not long enough to cover the hem of his suit jackets. Bill gave me a brand new HP computer, my first ever brand new computer. I haven’t even taken it out of the box yet since I don’t know how to join this computer and the new one, or at least transfer files.

If anyone has any ideas or directions on how to do such a thing I’d be glad to follow them.

Bill was much more frustrated with the breakdowns of the computer this past summer and Rand, who created this here computer reminded me that ‘you get what you pay for.’ That’s going to be my project the next few days, at least Tuesday or next weekend which will be my next time off.

Juan was here for a few hours. We basically had some sparkling wine, ate some pasta and watched the Freaks and Geeks marathon. He just left a little while ago. He’s always good to have around, if only for a little while. He’s headed back to Trenton tonight.

Back to work tomorrow, Boxing Day. Back to ‘normal’ hours, which means earlier hours. Monday night, a trip to Hillsdale. Hope you had an excellent Christmas holiday or whatever it is you choose to celebrate.

Be good.

I Couldn’t Care Less

And it was back to work today for me. And not the usual starting time of 12:30. No, last night I got a phone call from Calvin, who when I answered the phone, asked ‘What’s happening Pumpkin?’ Pumpkin? Me?

I told him I was going to call him and let him know I would be in today, and he said that was alright, he wanted me to know that he moved my hours, so that I would be opening the store. Apparently he was pissed off, but cleverly covered it up with ‘Take care my brother.’

If I am his brother I can only hope I was adopted. Apparently, he was pissed because I knew I was getting sick on Tuesday night but did not call until 8:00 on Wednesday morning.

In August when I was sick due to a toothache, I sent an email stating that I wouldn’t be in due to the toothache. On August 18, I received an email stating that it’s company protocol to ‘CALL off sick, not TEXT off sick. It is corporate policy that we hear your sparkling voice to ensure that it is indeed you who is calling off. It’s also faster:). You can feel free to follow up with a text message, but the phone call is mandatory.’ Nice use of the smiley face.

Today, and the actual reason I had to come in earlier than usual was because of the following memo that I had to read in front of Marcus (Calvin was off today) and sign it after I had read it in front of Marcus.

It reads as follows: Company Procedures clearly state, “Sick days should be taken when you are too ill to come to work. You must call your direct supervisor, Calvin Neckbone (212-555-1212) as early as possible to give notice in order to arrange for coverage.”

“You knew you were sick on the evening of Tuesday, December 22, 2010. Further you did not call Calvin directly but rather left a message in the store answering system at 8:00AM on Wednesday December 22, 2010. This resulted in overtime that could have been avoided with proper notice and rearranging of the schedule.”

Then it says, ‘I have read and understand this warning’, which is where I had to sign. The thing is I have never seen this mythical corporate handbook and this was something that Raymond used to mention to me before he got the ax. So I signed it, wishing to be done with the whole thing.

I still wasn’t feeling that well when I came in this morning, still a bit dizzy and feverish, having had to change my t-shirt when I came in since it was drenched in sweat.

Why didn’t I call Calvin directly? Maybe it’s because I had a fever of 103 degrees? Maybe because I didn’t know to call Calvin directly, I thought calling the store would be enough?

When I worked at Wanker Banker under Bobby Risotto, I never dreamed of calling Bobby at home if I was going to be sick the next day. So now I know.

If I get sick in the middle of the night, I will call Calvin at 3:00AM if that is the hour I become sick. I really don’t give a fuck if I wake his lying drunk ass up. He’s a employee who wound up working the extra hours that I couldn’t do.

I also called Bradley up before I left, letting him know that I wasn’t sure if I would be in, and that he might be working a double shift. It’s just as well since the Bradley sold over $20,000 worth of items.

And Calvin makes more money than the Bradley or myself, so his time and a half or maybe even double time (the hours they pay you for are really quite screwy) should have been a nice salve to ease his bald head.

But it wasn’t so he wrote a little note to have me sign in front of Marcus. To make a note of my ‘Failure to follow sick day procedure’. Tomorrow on Christmas Eve, Calvin mentioned that he was going to buy a bottle of Port and let us all smoke a cigar, any cigar in the humidor.

I will not be a part of that. Sean is off as if the other part timer who’s name I’ve forgotten. It will be just Calvin, the Bradley and myself. I haven’t had a cigar since Tuesday and I don’t drink Port, so the party will be just Calvin and the Bradley. I’m on antibiotics anyhow, so no drinking for me anyway.

January can’t get here soon enough for me. A new year and a new job hunt. This place is ridiculous and I want my life back. Discounted cigars just is not worth putting up with this bullshit. FUCK THIS SHIT.

Merry Christmas!