Sunday, March 31, 2013

Day 31: My Grandma, The Firecracker (30 Days of Days)


Day 31:  Pick a Day I Haven't Described and Shared

I was originally going to do a day dream one but I had an interesting conversation with my Grandma and I feel compelled to share it.


March 31, 2013.


It really hit home how much alike Grandma and I really are.  I feel like I’m not really my mother’s daughter at all.  

After quite a few tries and misses, I was finally able to reach Grandma to wish her a Happy Easter.  It had been a little over a week since I had talked to her, and she had missed out on some of the aggravation I had been experiencing at the day job as well as this recent situation with my second job. 

She and I had been talking for a good forty minutes.  She let me know how good of a job the workers did on the roof.  The house hadn't fully gotten fixed after the bad weather that had occurred, and the damage was more than Grandma could bear.  After waiting on people to help her who ceased to come through, she had to let her fingers do the walking.  (How many people still use Yellow Pages?)

She found someone who did the job all in one day—with the help of a lot of workers.  A lot of the wood had to be replaced as well; it had been rotted through.  She’s very thankful.

She and I were about to hang up.  Normally, I would wait until another setting to even bring up the work situation but it all started coming out.

I explained to her the further aggravation I was experiencing at the 2nd job.  The main boss had decided to switch the opening hours at the store from 7 in the morning until 6 in the morning.  I wasn't notified of the change when the new schedule went up, and I was initially told that the change was just because it was Easter weekend.  Then when I got there on Saturday, I found out it was permanent.  Unfortunately, coming in at that time isn't feasible for me, so I’m trying to do the right thing.  I give them my two weeks’ notice.

The bosses didn't want to accept my two weeks’ notice.  I have heard of bosses trying to convince someone to stay but to just refuse to accept the two weeks.  (shaking my head)



I also told her about the situation that occurred with one of my bosses at the day job—his trying to make an example out of me in front of others; the fact that he has done it more than once.  I did tell the staffing agency to try and find a higher paying job, for one, and to address this situation with him for two because I had written him a professional “tell off” letter letting him know how “unprofessional” he was acting.

Grandma was sharing her stories about when she would work for different women.  She primarily spent her life being a housekeeper.  There was this one particular story when my Uncle Butch had gotten ill, so she didn't go to work.  She was dependent on her boss picking her up and bringing her to work and back, so he made a comment about how upset his wife was that my grandma wasn't at work and to make more of an effort to be there more.  

My grandma was sizzling like bacon she was so mad, similar to how I get when things rub me the wrong way.

After he had dropped her off at his house and made his way to work, Grandma came in and straight up told his wife, “When my husband or my children are sick, they always come first.  If you have a problem like that, you are going to have to find another housekeeper!”

After Grandma told her off, she never had a problem with them again.  Grandma’s like, “You have to let them know what’s what.  They can’t think they can get away with disrespecting you.  That is worth more than money.”

I knew that Grandma didn't take disrespect too well, but that was the first time I had ever heard the stories where she had talked back to her bosses.  We spoke about them and laughed. 

I did let her know I was looking for a way to leave both of them in the dust.  She says that she doesn't worry about me as far as being determined to always find something better; she does worry that my workaholic tendencies will kick into overdrive.  She reminded me that I have to stay focused on my health and what is truly best.

I joked, “Grandma you have to follow your own advice, too.”

She admitted that I had a point.

Day 31, that’s a wrap!

1 comment:

Reggie said...

I work for a major corporation. When hours are changed, we have to give 30 days notice.

Last year we had a schedule change where our sales unit wanted to change schedules from staying open until midnight, to closing at 10pm. One of the reps, said it was a problem to change her schedule without notice....so one of our supervisors had to stay until midnight with her for 30 days...and she was the only person. The other 15 people were getting off 2 hours earlier.