Shelby finished his day’s work then he clocked out. It wasn’t much of a job but it was what he had. He did his job the way they wanted him to do it then he went home.
Simple.
Shelby liked simple.
The problem was that when he clocked out today there was a note on his time card “Come see me” it said. It was from his supervisor.
Shelby was puzzled, but he did that.
“I hate to do this Shelby.” His boss said “You’ve been a good worker but I have to let you go. Sorry, I have no choice.”
It was like a punch to the gut. Shelby had always done what he had been told to do. No whining, or complaining, he’d just done the job.
Shelby looked at his boss. Hurt and puzzlement in his eyes.
“Don’t look at me like that Shelby”. his boss said. “I don’t have any choice. You’re not the only one this is happening to.”
Shelby looked at his boss and blinked.
“I can’t say anything here.” his boss said. “Look. Meet me at Sam’s and I’ll buy you a beer.?”.
Shelby wasn’t much of a drinker but he felt a thirst coming on. He nodded to his boss , turned around and walked out the door.
(hours later)
It had been a nice conversation. His (former) boss hadn’t stopped with just one beer. His boss had not only bought him many beers he’d also bought him a meal. Only a burger and fries but still...it was a meal.
He remembered what his boss had said.
“Look, Shelby. I’m sorry. I try to hire vets. I try to keep you on. I know you got shot up pretty bad in the Sandbox and how it affected you. I try to help.” He’d said.
Shelby didn’t know about that. His memories were pretty vague. It was true that he was a vet. He knew that. He had been to war. He knew that too. Things hadn’t turned out too well. He walked with a limp because of that. He didn’t think too clearly any longer. He supposed that might have something to do with the scar on the side of his head. He didn’t know.
“I can’t help it Shelby. The new National and State legislation has our hands tied. If we continue on the way they want us too, it’ll only be a few months before we go bankrupt.” His boss said. Shelby had no idea what his boss was talking about.
“The new national healthcare law was killing us” his boss said “ but we thought we could struggle on. We thought we could make it until the state dropped the bomb. The new minimum wage law was the last straw.”
His boss shook his head and said “More Beer waiter”
After the waiter brought them both another beer, his boss continued. “You didn’t hear none of this from me. I’m sorry this has to be. It’s not what we want. We have to do this. We’re being forced to. It’s that or go out of Business. You’ve just drawn the short straw.”
Shelby knew all about drawing short straws. The plains of Afghanistan had taught him that. He started to shake a little bit then drank his beer.
“Sorry Shelby” his (former) boss said. “If it had been up to us we’d have kept you on. We couldn’t. The cost of employment has tripled in the last few months. We have to find a way around it. We’ve bought robots.”
Shelby had worked with automated fire control systems and EOD robots in the SandBox. He knew about automation.
“I wish you well Shelby” his boss said as he took the checks and got up to leave. “Have another one on me...I have to go.”
His boss paid the bill and walked out the door. Shelby never saw him again.
A few days later Shelby couldn’t pay his rent and was evicted.