Cojones Grandes

I never really know how to start these things. I don't post all that often. Probably because I seem to post more often when I'm frustrated or irritated or want to throw something at someone. As is the case tonight! Really, it's not that big of a deal to me since I long predicted what I'm about to share with you, but none the less, I find it so ridiculous that I just HAD to say SOMETHING!

So...if you are reading this and you actually know me, you know where I work. You know I love my job. A huge part of that is what we do and what the company actually stands for, but an even BIGGER portion of why I love it is because of the people I work with...and have worked with in the past (What up, Drue!). I've been blessed to have worked with a lot of really intelligent, fun loving, and genuinely compassionate people - many of them I count among my closest friends. There's a sense of family and a sense that we're all playing on the same team. What pisses me off are the people who take advantage of that by putting on a facade and double crossing your teammates later.

A little background info. This team member was hired a little more than a year ago. She was good. Fit what we needed and who were are pefectly... or so we thought. She went from being among the top...to our weakest link. To try and keep things short, I won't get into what we tried to do to improve things, but we did try...and with lack of results, her hours got cut due to our suspicion of her stealing...not only from our registers but from her teammates and even items (yes plural as in more than one time) guests left in the store. We know for a fact that she'd take other people's food. I even know it was her when a coke was spilled all over my keyboard resulting in us having to buy a new one. At no time did she ever fess up to anything. Let me clarify a little...I sound very positive on my suspicions and I am...but without any hard physical evidence, there's always that .0001% that we could have been wrong. There's always that chance that you're wrong even if you are so strong in your convictions.

So...to make a long story short, she ends up putting in her 2 weeks notice. We weren't too upset about losing this person at this point. And when I say "weren't too upset" I mean we were HAPPY! This coming Friday is supposed to be this persons last day at our store...but she claims she'd like to come back for the holidays. Whatever...like THAT'S going to happen while I'm around! Keep in mind, I've been very cordial and professional the entire time with her. I'll give you all the respect in the world as long as you do the same for me. Once that is lost, it's very hard to earn it back from me.

Anyhow...this past Sunday, our "team member" calls several of her fellow co-workers to try and get her last shift covered. No one can do it or they just don't want to...and I don't blame them one bit! I had predicted this person would try to get out of it so I had another employee on call during the same time to ensure we have the shift covered. What's sad is that I predicted that I'd need our back up and I was right...

We get a call from TM (team member) Wed saying that her uncle died and that his funeral was on Friday...so (SURPRISE!) she can't come to work. So...I'm pretty pissed when I hear this. Sure I know I said there's always the .0001% that I'm wrong, but I choose to ignore it and I send her a message on facebook expressing my condolences to her and for family for her uncle:

"I heard from Heather and Deanna that your uncle passed away and the funeral is on Friday. I'm sorry to hear this...especially since this was going to be your last day with us. Losing someone is never an easy thing - I went through this just a few weeks ago when my grandfather died. I wish we had known sooner so we could have assisted in finding a replacement instead of you calling several of your co-workers to get them to cover your shift a few days ago. I'll wait to do the final paperwork on you until you get back to us with the info that Deanna asked for. Where is the funeral going to be? We'd like to send flowers to the funeral home (or church) so let us know the name of the home, time of the service and your uncle's name. Feel free to call the store with the info or message me back on facebook if you'd like. Let us know if there is anything we can do,Christina"

To which she replies:

"Thank you so much. I didn't know about your grandfather. I'm so sorry to hear that! My uncle has been sick for about a month And we knew it was coming but. We still weren't ready...but who ever is? I don't have all the details I just know it's going to be at arlington cemetary by my house. But I'll for sure bring the info for you.Thank you :)"

Followed up by another message saying:

"And my Aunt requested no flowers be sent but instead donationsSo thanks anyway"

So I responded that we'd be happy to do something if she could provide us with the information...I still haven't gotten a response back on that yet...

And Lord knows...if there actually has been a death, then I feel for them. I do. But the actions this individual has taken has broken any ounce of trust that I had for them. It's like the boy who cried wolf I guess. I always did like that story when I was little.

What I hate is the fact that she just doesn't have the cojones to just straight up tell me, "don't schedule me if you can afford not to." Usually I can pull that off! If you don't wanna be here then that's cool...I'd rather give someone the shift who wants the hours and can be depended on to be there! I much prefer the honesty of you've had enough of the place to the alternative of "Oh yeah! I want to come back! Things are just too crazy for me right now to have this job..."

Things don't always have to end with a bear hug and a pat on the back and that's ok. It doesn't have to be a love fest between everyone all the time. What I prefer them to end with is mutal respect. That has gone down the toilet for sure. And that is such an important thing to make so many things work...personal life, professional life. Think of all the conflicts and situations in the world that could probably have been avoided if there were more mutual respect...it applies to all and applies to everything. Just because you think you're way is better doesn't mean that it actually is. What about that .0001% chance that you're wrong? A little mutual respect would save a lot of trouble. Do you have the cojones to give someone the respect they deserve as a human being unconditionally?

Where is the loyalty in these actions by this person? Where is the honor? I know what we do is simple and, in the grand scheme of things, not earth shattering, but where is the dignity? Work is digifying no matter what you are doing. You have some sort of purpose in a bigger plan. Maybe I'm mad at myself for not being able to pick this out of her when she was first hired but I feel like we were suckered when we hired her. It's times like these that I lose a little bit of faith in people. Luckily, I know and see enough good out there on a daily basis to have it restored rather quickly. I'm very lucky and thankful that I get to see the brightside of human nature as often as I do. Maybe I'm naive. Could be. I know there's a lot of dark stuff that happens out there too. I could be too optimistic...I think I'm a realist always looking for the silver lining. Either way, I like my perspective. Life's too short to have it any other way. Maybe I'm wrong about that though...but there's only .0001% chance of that.