in the retail business
Today felt like a strange day but in fact it was just like every other day working at a grocery store. I did not get that many hours this week and I was happy about that because I got the time off. The bad thing about time off is there no money involved with it. I asked one of the other baggers as I was leaving if he wanted to let go of any of his shifts. He looked at his schedule and told me I could have his Tuesday. I was really grateful to get up over 30 hours this week. When I went to tell the manager about the shift change she asked me to come in at 9am instead. I was not ok with that at all. I could tell that I was visibly frowning. This means I have to go to sleep early tonight and that I wont get to work out tomorrow and that pisses me off to no end! I also don’t know if I will be able to shower, poop, or shave before work tomorrow. My roommates have monopoly on the bathroom in the early AM. What was I supposed to do, say no to the manager giving me longer hours? I am going to work 8am-7pm tomorrow at the store.
Last night as I was walking into the break room and the big manager and the programmer were talking about me. And the only part of the conversation I heard was that being a bagger is job that is beneath me. The retired programmer told me later on that the store management does not understand why I am not interested in doing a more technical job. My answer to the old man was simple, “I don’t want to get too comfortable in this place, I am just passing through, I don’t plan on spending a minute longer here. I have more college to do and I am exiting the computer business for the rest of my life. I have devoted my interests in work to computers and I have had enough of it. I am smart enough to do anything I want in this life and that something I cannot say about my co-workers,” I explained. The look on his face was that of disbelieve and amusement. I think he has a completely different idea about why he works at the grocery store. Today when I asked him why he came into work 2 hours early he simply said they have a better television in the break room than he has at home.
Last night I also ran into an old American English professor – retired of course. We exchanged what books we were reading and he told me Jane Austen. It reminded me of how much I miss reading Pride and Prejudice. I love Lizzie Bennett and I have had many girls compare my personality to Mr. Darcy. Then as he stopped himself from talking he patted me on the shoulder, “you are getting even more handsome,” he said. All I can say is I felt my cheeks turn red and I was glad this was an 80 year old man saying this. He wants me to come over to his house and have a beer with him and his wife.
