Where'd my Friday go?
I'm tired.
where can i start?
I had that meeting with Andrea at 2:30, remember? Well... Andrea called at 2:30 and told me that she was in a meeting, and probably couldn't make our meeting... but was there stuff I could do at the store? Um... sure. And here we go:
Went to bank to get $80 in quarters.
Got ladder from downstairs to take down the Christmas lights outside... started taking down lights, 70 some year old woman in red coat starts mumbling swear words, sexual innuendoes, and just down right gross things... both AT me and at no one in particular. I went back in because I was afraid. I went back out... she was still there... I decided to ignore her. Took down most of the lights.
Andrea showed up... we finished taking down the Christmas lights. Andrea said that everyone has heard of the red coated woman... "Mary... yeah... she used to be outside my law school. Everyone knows Mary... and everyone swears she spends every day by their bank." So I met a celebrity today.
The building maintenance guy (who looks like a scary homeless guy himself) tells Andrea that she "has a problem" in the "back basement"... which, until today I thought was a myth. We go to the back basement (all three of us) and he shows us the "problem"... a pipe had burst somewhere and we were leaking water into the basement.
We called the plumber... they were too busy, they said, but they'd call us when someone could come over.
We sat and talked... labor costs are high... it might mean using me to come into the store when people close... just so there's an extra body to handle the closing, because otherwise it would be really hard. This means I have to be even MORE "on call" and could potentially have to go in on a Friday or Saturday night at 11... there goes any hope of me having a social life.
We got frustrated... she mentioned keys to the register... could I get copies made? I didn't know where to go... she did. She decided we would both take a walk and get the keys made. We went to an Ace Hardware store a couple blocks away... they couldn't make the kind of key (probably smart since it's a register... but an inconvenience).
We walk back to the store. Andrea's hungry... she's going home... would I mind doing a couple things before I go? No... of course not. We got the new POS sheets for the registers, would I mind programming them into the computer? Computer stuff? I'm all over that shit.
In this case, the shit was all over me. We had somehow missed a step in the POS sheet process... so while what I did WORKED, the stuff we should have done earlier didn't. She didn't believe it was a problem... she came back to the store.
Oh... it IS a problem. It doesn't work. Let's see if we can figure it out. Her daughter calls. Her dog ran away and she was very upset (her daughter's ten... it was sad). But her daughter, Julia, thought to call the Humane Society... and sure enough, there was Arthur. Even though Arthur was ok... Julia was upset. I listen for a while as Andrea calms her daughter down. It was the sweetest thing I've heard in a long long time. She's caring... thoughtful... she really listens... she calms her daughter... it was wonderful, and I'm sure it's a side of herself that Andrea doesn't want all these corporate types to see.
Back to business, right? No... Her dad calls... he'd like to talk about some things, so they're going to have a meeting. Would I mind sticking around? Nah...
Jim Johnson shows up... with his "mentor," who is also in charge of the Chicago Stock Exchange... and this dude's wife. The store needs to look "PERFECT" I'm told by Andrea... as it means a lot to the Big Boss Man (What I've started calling Mr. Johnson). Ok... I'll run around like a bastard and make sure everything looks great.
Done that... Big Boss Man shows his mentor dude around... Andrea appreciates it. She and her dad talk for a minute. They both come downstairs where I was running a full system scan with Anti-virus (it had been two months... I was appalled!). They talk business... Labor Costs, Food Costs, Overhead... all too high. Andrea needs to figure out a way to keep them down. I watch as they butt heads... repeatedly. Jim shows me the Business side... no nonsense... doesn't care how it's done as long as it's done. I'm actually intimidated for the first time with this man who seemed like an uncle before. Andrea explains her side of things... she's worried about people, particularly the women, closing the store at night by themselves: it's not safe. Jim doesn't care: it's not cost effective. They go back and forth and back and forth. I felt very uncomfortable. I assure Andrea that we'll figure it out (as I had already been formulating a plan). We eventually finish the meeting.
What was the last time I mentioned? The meeting at 2:30 that didn't happen? ok... the meeting that DID happen ends, and it's 11:30. and I haven't eaten dinner. We go upstairs... Jim and Andrea leave. I mention to Abby that I haven't eaten dinner... she tells me that she'll buy if I clean the ice cream machine. Balls yes I will!
So I clean the ice cream machine (for the first time ever) and it takes me a while. Elizabeth is training on how to close... so she's asking me questions... and I don't know how to clean the machine, so I'm asking Abby questions... and it took me an hour to clean that damn machine.
Now it's 12:30... and I'm too tired to eat... so I tell Abby that I'll take a raincheck on the dinner.
And, currently, it's after 2. I've come back to my apartment, eaten some oatmeal... and longed for the sweet release of my own demise. Goodnight all.