I couldn’t take it any longer
After a very difficult year with many disappointments and almost becoming homeless things starting to look up.
A job offer was presented to me by the owner of a young and small with ambition and I could start almost right away. He also offered me a place to live, a small room over the office was all I needed and could hope for.
I packed my things and moved to a city sixty miles away. I started this job with enthusiasm and determination to make the most of it. I also had plenty of experience in this line of work. Previously I worked for a similar business for ten years.
However, after just a few days doubt started creeping in. Our personalities clashed and the way business was conducted was questionable at times, to say the least.
Promises were not kept either. I was supposed to be the manager, in charge of daily affairs and run business based on my experience and knowledge. But the boss turned out to be a micro manager who wanted everything done his way and there was no room for a different approach.
I was also promised to have a budget I could spend to make improvements, and that didn't happen either. Even worse, every idea I had was wiped off the table instantly to the point that I felt not been taken seriously.
It was almost impossible to have a two-way conversation with him. He like talking but not listening so much. Someone would start saying something and not get the opportunity to finish it because the boss would take over right away. I have witnessed him doing this with clients as well, sometimes to the point that they were clearly annoyed.
Recycling is not that hard
Years ago, we lived in an apartment complex that had two big bins for the collection of recyclable materials. Now I believe we should keep stuff out of landfills as much as possible and be careful with our precious natural resources. So, I made sure our aluminum cans, paper and plastic containers were properly disposed of.
And every time I made a trip to the dumpster I was amazed, and disgusted, to see that many people just didn’t care. Recyclables were carelessly thrown in the dumpster, while the dedicated bins were sitting right next to it. And at the same time garbage bags wound up in the recycling bins.
And of course, there are always some litterers who just throw their beer cans and McDonald’s containers on the ground, but I’ll write about that some other time.
Just before we moved out, the recycle bins were removed, due to the fact that hardly anyone used them.
The same thing happened in the mobile home park were we lived for a few years. Two barrels, one for aluminum cans, the other for clear plastic bottles were clearly marked and positioned right next to dumpsters.
And still most residents couldn’t care less and ignored the request to separate them from the other trash. It surely was no trouble at all, but for some people even that was too much to ask for.
I reminds me of something that I saw at a car show, in the early 1980’s. A man was eating a hot dog and decided he didn’t want the second half of it. And despite the fact that he was less than three away from a big trash can, he just dumped it on the floor and walked away. Forty years later it still upsets me. There is no excuse for behavior like that.
I resent lazy co-workers.
I worked for a small company and one of my co-workers was the sister of the owner. She was a nice lady and we worked together very well. She always worked hard and made sure things were done in time.
Then she decided to leave. The physical work became too much for her and she wanted to do something different. An ad was put in the paper (no Internet yet), and we received quite a few responses.
Hank seemed to be the best candidate He was in the right age group, has a positive demeanor and he had a degree in art history. A most welcome qualification for someone who works at an auction house.
I led the job interview and I put emphasis on the fact that, especially right before and during the auctions, there was a lot of physical labor to be done. “No problem,” he said. “I like being busy physically, it’s good for the body.”
Soon after he was hired I noticed however that he was more talk than substance. He willingly slacked on certain things and was in the habit of asking others to do it for him. Many times, one of us jumped in and as soon as we did he went off the gas even more.
Sometimes I needed a hand, but it was pointless asking him. Hank always had an excuse, or he flat out refused saying that he was too busy. His favorite thing to bring up was that he had back problems and he couldn’t lift anything. However, he only seemed to have a sore back on weekdays, on the weekends he played soccer without a problem.
I had it with him when he eased off completely and we had to call in two freelance workers to do the work that he could easily have done himself. And as soon as those workers showed up, Hank went into the office, sat at the desk, and only pretended to do be busy.
Fast food & annoying people
A burger restaurant was the only place in the area where I could get a meal. I hadn’t eaten that day yet and the supplies in the truck were long gone.
I was somewhat in a hurry and was hoping it would a quick in and out. No such luck, a single line was backed up to the door and for a few seconds I contemplated skipping a meal. A rumble in my stomach made me decide otherwise. The line was moving slowly, and while the person at the register was working as fast as she could the orders left the kitchen at a snail’s pace.
Just ahead of me was a family of five, mom, dad and three kids between 5 and 10 years old, to my best estimate. Dressed in colorful outfits, which convinced me they were tourists, and chattering non-stop they made their way to the counter.
“What can I get you today,” asked the friendly employee with a smile. And then it started. Before mom or dad could say anything the kids started yelling at the same time and within moments the three youngsters turned into a screaming wild bunch.
All that commotion made it impossible for mom to figure out what they actually wanted. She tried to calm them down while dad stood at the sideline with a helpless look on his face. “If you don’t settle down we will leave and you won’t get anything.”
That statement made some impression and finally they controlled themselves well enough to turn in their order. But that was not the end of it. Mom decided they couldn’t have what they wanted, either it was not healthy enough or the portions were too big. And right away the mayhem started again.
Collectibles may not be worth much
A few years ago, I went to an estate sale that was dominated by the presence of about twelve display cases filled with figurines.
According to the salesperson there were at least 2,000 little statues that the owner had collected over the years.
I don’t recall what the asking prices were but I’m sure that it was minimal. And when I came back the next day I really didn’t notice that any of them had been sold.
“How are you going to get rid of them?” I asked the man in charge. He shrugged his shoulders and answered: “I don’t know.”
It seemed to me that he would have sell the whole lot to someone who could part them out at a swap meet. And that person would probably not pay more than fifty cents each which proves that, with a few exceptions, all those Precious Moments, Hummel, Lladro, and other figurines are worth very little.
There are many people who bought them went they were issued, sometimes with the expectation that over the years they would increase in value. Especially the ‘limited edition’ ones were considered to be a good investment.
Then comes the point when, for one reason or another, they want to sell them. I can imagine the disappointment when they find out that the value is only a fraction of what they paid for it.