Firing Day

It finally happened. The girl we will no longer name was fired at work. The whole thing was actually pretty anti-climatic. Katie and I had been popping up saying, only 2 more days! Things like that. And now it's over. No more having to do two people's work because the other does nothing. No more having an employee lie to me about how much work they've done, or the fact that they've done it at all. No more awkward hugs from people I would never even speak to outside of work...

I think that was the thing I disliked most. The way she always hugged me like we were best friends. So clingy. And she would stand there, while she wasn't working, watching you work, and stroke my hair. I hated that. *shudders*

The store manager was nervous about it, as it was only the second time she had to fire someone. Apparently the first time did not go well. Being the third ranked manager, and only one witness being needed, I stayed on the floor. They didn't even let her clock in. Just, hi, how are you, let's talk.

I kept myself occupied, as there were floor moves to do, and elderly ladies needing help. Thankfully, I was busy with one of these ladies when they all came back out about five minutes later. She had tears in her eyes as she gave me one of her clingy hugs, me in the middle of telling the customer about our fragrance lamps (no one ever knows what they are..). Kate and the SM rolled their eyes. And with that last moment of discomfort, she was gone.

In a way, I do feel bad that she was let go without any written warnings. However, being that she was within her probationary period still, none were necessary. But then, every time I think of how she actually told another employee that the old manager (whom I was hired to replace) taught her to do next to nothing and get away with it, I lose that empathy. When I remember how she would sit behind the register, where no customers could see her, to build lamps, and then tell not only other associates but other managers that no, she didn't have to listen to them and stand up, because I told her it was okay.. I still don't know how she turned "You can't sit behind the register, no one can see you," into "yeah sure, it's okay." And especially when I think of how she actually argued with a manager about the price of something, an as-is price that only a manager can decide, right in front of a customer... Yeah, I'm glad she's gone.

She had started coming in and saying things like, "My mom is mad at you." This person was over 20. Not by a lot, but still, more than enough to be an adult in every way. You have no idea how aggravating it was to be told that her mother was mad at me. Saying that her mother didn't work there didn't seem to have an effect. Therefore, it wasn't much of a surprise when she later called in anger about her being fired. I can't tell you how many times SM had to say, "If she wants to talk to me, she can call me. She's an adult." Just ridiculous.

So yeah, work is now like, 20 times better. Everyone left that works there actually works. And while things are still far from perfect in the store, the imperfections that remain are ones that I can deal with and still come home without fuming and threatening to quit. So I'm happy.

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Note for those that care: I learned how to lead climb and lead belay tonight. Ooyaxzah!

(yeah, so I stole that from mo.. what are you going to do about it?)