I have a lot of faults, most of us do. One of my more annoying and inconvienient faults is this seeming inability to remember that Holidays mean the buses will not begin running until 10 am.
I forget. Perhaps it is because, as a person in poverty, Holidays like this one mean less than nothing to me. I cannot take the day off from work to watch parades and go to a BBQ or a picnic.
So, this morning I marched my little trio down to the bus station with me, knowing full well that their club was closed today for the 4th, but not letting it sink in that the bus isn't coming until far too late.
At 8:22 I call the Transit Authority to get the holiday schedule for my route and then immediately call in to work. I'm supposed to be there at 9.
I apologize profusely. I need those hours so they know I mean it. I let them know I will be there at 11 and that I can stay later to make up for it.
I am assured it is okay and that they will see me later. 10:14 rolls around and we are on the very first bus to hit our stop. It has to take us downtown before we go up the hill. But I still get my kids settled into their spot and myself on the clock by 10:50, 10 minutes earlier than expected.
I'm already a bit off, my morning has not gone as expected but I'm ready to hit the ground running.
The assistant manager of my store looks at me and the very first words out of her mouth are "Oh, I expected you a while ago. Peter was able to get here on the bus faster than you."
I explain that Peter is able to catch an earlier bus with a shorter route because he lives downtown and I live out West. She doesn't want to hear it.
I tell her I can go online and show her the bus schedule for today, detailing the first buses times on my route today.
"I feel like you're just using that as an excuse."
"An excuse for what? I can't just magically change the bus schedule, sorry."
That bitch called me a liar. In front of everyone. Accusing me of making up the trouble with the bus this morning. Why? I have been with the company for a year and a half.
I have zero instances in that time of taking time off without documented reasoning.
She then says she does not have the "ability" to "deal with this anymore" and turns to a coworker to talk a bunch more shit.
Literally the very first words out of her mouth when I walk in. The first words anyone says to me is an accusation and vitriol and she's the one "dealing with" shit from me?! Let me tell you, I was livid.
I took it directly to the store manager who came in about an hour later. He tried to explain her behavior away but in the end agreed with me that she was completely unprofessional and that he would speak with her.
I swear to god there was a dark cloud of anger following me around all day. I am an honest and hard worker. I don't deserve to be treated like shit.
And that brings us to the reward part of this post. I was given my review today. Every single article was meets or exceeds expectations and I was given a 25 cent raise, the most he could give me, because it puts me at the pay cap for my position.
Also in the review it was stated that I will be fast-tracked for management. Which will include another raise.
I no longer know if I even want it.
