Interesting Things as of Late | johnozed

You’d think that after being here for almost two years things would get easier, but they don’t. I suppose it’s because there are so many different personalities walking through the door each and every day there is no set chemistry. Each contact, each transaction brings something different, indefinable. Each day brings a new dread.

The possum was in full effect today, not really communicative until it was about time for him to go. Then he warmed up. After the possum left I had to deal with one of his customers on the phone. The possum sold him an item that wasn’t what the possum said it was. The caller was quite upset and wanted a refund. I ran it by Zack and Zack told me what to say.

I got back on the phone with the possum’s customer and proceeded to tell them what Zack told me to say, all the while saying ‘Yes I understand’ and ‘OK’. Well the customer did not want to hear that and asked for the manager. So I go and get Zack who is upset that I told the caller the manager was in.

Zack wanted me to say the possum was the manager. Zack starts barking at me and I start barking back. If you are the fucking manager, be the fucking manager. Zack would prefer the buck stopped somewhere further down the line. Needless to say, Zack calmed the customer down- who will be sending his wife in to deal with the possum.

I also had another encounter with one of my own customers. I was speaking on the phone with them in Utah, and was suggesting that he buy a box of our latest and greatest. Well my guy says he talked to a co-worker who told my guy that the cigars are really good, only after storing them in a humidor for about a year.

I am pretty sure it was Jerry Vale who gave such crap advice and when I asked Jerry Vale he denied it. It was pretty much a boneheaded move on his part, a move that took away a $300.00 sale of which I could have definitely used to boost my sales for the month. Overall it’s been like that, me watching my co-workers boost their sales while mine seem to be anemic at best.

The weather is quite humid and it’s been raining all day so there’s been no real escape from the cigar shack. Oh sure, I made my move at lunchtime, went to a nearby diner and ate the usual burger. It stopped raining for a while after I ate but everything was wet so sitting down outside was not an option.

Now things have quieted down, Zack left about 45 minutes ago and the possum left about 2 hours ago and for that we are grateful. I am off tomorrow, back to the skewed schedule. A day off here, four days on there. And now I am dealing with quite a cantankerous twat who seems to be begging for it.

Finally I am home. A bit stressed. Rand contacted me about reforming the Art Hams for a Hoboken Music Day on June 10. I am all for it and put in a request for the day off. Only thing is, it is the third Sunday I am asking for, the third Sunday in a row. I am anxious that they will turn down this request and I am anxious since it is something I would really like to do. But ultimately it’s not up to me.

Yet another reason I want to get back to a Monday through Friday job.

Redbone – Come And Get Your Love

It happens often. I call someone who is unavailable and leave a voicemail. I usually say “don’t call back, I’ll call you later”. 9 times out of 10 they call back. I am guilty of this too. Just had terse words with Bill. I use a hands free headset and as I am putting it away after leaving a voice mail- he calls. It’s raining, my hands are full with phone, ipod, and umbrella looking for shelter. It’s love and it’s frustrating.

I call him almost daily on my walk from the apartment to the bus stop. I get the voice mail and leave a message telling him not to call back, I would call when I am in the city. I unplug the hands free headset I use for the phone, put it away and plug in my headphones for the iPod, all the time smoking a cigar and using an umbrella while striding to the bus stop.

Of course, Bill calls at an inopportune moment, asking if I would be interested in going with him to his high school reunion in June. It’s a 30 year reunion and he liked his classmates. I am exasperated of course and probably a little bit snotty. I explain the situation that I don’t know if I can get that time off or if there will be time to have off.

I try to recover and make light of the situation but by this time Bill isn’t having it. The call ends abruptly. I make my way up to the cigar shack, on the way I get cut off by a delivery guy on a bicycle who knocks my smoke out of my hand. He apologises and I just keep walking. I make my way to the cigar shack in the drizzle and text Bill, telling him I am going to run an errand and I will call him back.

Apparently he still doesn’t like the fact, after 12 years, that I am not a morning person. We talk as I do the errand and he suggests taking a Xanax, to use the tools I have at hand since he is fed up with me and the way I am in the morning. I try to end the call on an up note but whether or not I hit that register, or whether Bill heard it it remains to be seen.

I did suggest earlier during the initial call that maybe we can talk about the high school reunion when I get home tonight. That is, if Bill is still awake. I get to the cigar shack and notice it really seems smoky and smells like cigars. Now normally it doesn’t since the cigar shack has a very good ventilation system going, but apparently not this morning.

Since I have been persona non grata lately I try to stay out of sight, keep my head down and do some work work work. So the man cave had to be closed which drove down sales, but I did spectacular. Just looking for a team to play for.

Oh and Bradley was upset since I questioned the fact that he had a sense of humor or any sense at all. He doesn’t. He can be quite hilarious but that hasn’t happened in a few months.

Charisma eczema. For some reason, I remember asking my sister in the 1970’s after hearing an advert on the radio about reminiscing how in the 1960’s, everybody had charisma. I asked my sister what charisma was and she told me it was a skin disease.

01 El Camisón De Pepa (Pepa’s Dress)