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Summer 2003
Saturday, June 28th, 2003
I recently got a job at a KB Toys Outlet. I've now worked three shifts. It's not fun.
Monday, June 30th, 2003
Ok, four shifts down. Tonight, for the last 20 minutes, we all stood in a circle hitting around a beach ball. I can't help but think that will be the high point of my stay at KB.
I'm normally stuck on the register because the register sucks. There are so many special little buttons to hit and I'm not terribly inclined to learn about them all knowing I'll be quitting in a month. Even when "working the register" I'm supposed to be stocking selves which wouldn't suck if they weren't already full. Everything also has to be done in a certain way. Everything is very regulated. And whenever I do something wrong, everyone is quick to point it out. Not to mention I can't understand a single word anyone says to me because they don't speak english. It's all spanish.
Right, today a "truck came in" so we had to unload the stock, price it, and start to move it onto the store front. It was not so bad.
On my second day, five minutes before I got to leave, I watched as my boss fell off of the top of a ladder and started freaking out. There was nothing I could do to help, so I went and hid behind a different isle until I was able to sneak out.
Also on my second day, I heard the boss answering the voice mail and one of the messages was from a high-up. She was screaming that our area is the worst in the district, the worst in the region and, guess what, the worst in the country. Hehe
On my third day, my pants were a little wrinkly and my boss was like, "Oh my god, what happened to your pants?" as if she was very afraid. I told her I don't have an iron... and she's all like "No..."
Well, I've lost my train of thought.
Friday, July 18th, 2003
Yes, I realize it's been nearly three weeks since I've updated this, but with two jobs and no computer I've found it hard to do much of anything online. I hope to eventually get all of the details about the scandals at KB on here, but it may take time. Yea, that'll do for now.
Saturday, July 19th, 2003
Ok, when I started working at KB there were two assistant managers and one general manager. On my second day, one of the assistant managers fell off a latter in front of my very eyes and got hurt very badly, so she's out of the picture. Then the other assistant manager had to work a lot of hours and started hating her job a lot. She got really mean and was always mad. The general manager was less than sympathetic which pissed her off even more so she put in for a transfer. Then the GM was bitched out by the district manager so she resigned. So, the entire management crew has left and various visiting managers are brought in for a few hours at a time to watch the store. This is not good. On top of this, most of the employees (including myself) are getting ready to quit. The store has only been open five weeks and it's doing pretty badly. Besides the fact that every single manager is leaving as well as the employees, the store doesn't make money. I'm really glad I only have to work there three more weeks.
They kept bitching at me that my pants were always wrinkled. This made me mad. When trying to iron them, I burned my hand which made me even madder.
This job means very little me so I didn't feel so bad when I called out "sick" the other day. (Note: I've never missed a day of work at any job I've ever had). I also don't mind doing a half assed job. I do as little as I can get away with and I lie to the customers a lot so they'll leave me alone.
They always make me read these little papers about stealing and how I will get caught if I ever take anything. Then I have to sign sheets stating I understand stealing is wrong. They even searched my bag the other night. I don't steal. I have morals. Fuckers.
I'm hopeful my last three weeks will go smoothly with the new management staff.
Despite seeming to hate my job in Florida so much, I really wish I was there right now. I've returned to Virginia for the weekend to attend my college orientation and I don't so much like being back. I went to the theater a short while ago to get my paychecks and it seemed really different. In fact, everything seems really different even though I've only been gone a month! When I return again at the end of the summer, I'll only be here a week before going to college. Working at the theater for only seven days hardly seems worth it. I don't think I ever really meshed with that place. They're all having a party tonight, but I don't think I'll go; it would be too weird.
Ah, time is being time once again which means it's time to do something else.
Wednesday, August 6th, 2003
Oh the stories I have. The new management crew is fantastic. They're actually nice and don't make me feel bad or stupid or complain about my wrinkly pants. They even keep begging me to stay and say I'll be leaving a huge void and they really can't afford to lose me right now. The head boss calls me "kiddo" which is strangely funny and cute. The other new boss keeps giving me free drinks (sodas). Best of all, I am now rarely on a register. I'm always stocking shelves, which is great. Yeah, things at KB are much better.
I've learned that the company uses scare tactics and threats to produce results from the store managers. In fact, at a recent meeting with all of the GMs from the district, the head man's parting words were a direct threat to the "well being" of the employee's families. And thus, we now know for sure that KB is a completely fucked corporation fueled by greed and fear. Makes me wonder how many other commerce businesses are the same way and I'm getting kind of disillusioned with our capitalistic country. None the less, it works and I can't complain (too much).
It's only a matter of eight days until I leave KB. Then I'll return to Virginia and, five days later, begin my second year of college at the country's number two public university. I will not be returning to my movie theater job because I simply won't have time. I wonder if I'll ever return to that place and it's fine with me if I don't. I put in my time and that's that. Although, if I do seek employment at my new college, I'll probably look to a movie theater. Go figure.
Wednesday, August 20th, 2003
My last day at KB, nearly a week ago, sums up my entire career at the toy store: long and dragged out. I was once again presented with a huge pile of shit to sort and squeeze onto already full selves. Having no motivation to do any work, I let it sit there for 6 hours. If I was working with the old management, they would have repeatedly told me I'm slow and acted all shocked that the stuff just sat there. But, I was working with the new bosses and they said nothing.
Also on my final day, one of the High-Ups from human resources came in and started watching me. I knew this and went out of my way to be overly perfect. She then started saying she's heard so much about me and that I do a really great job. She also tried to convince me to work at the KB near my new college and I was like, "Yeah, definitely." I was asked what I thought about my job and I said I loved it a lot. I was then asked what I liked so much about it. God. I told her I liked the new managers (which was actually true...) and I made sure to make them sound really fantastic (because they were). Still, after she left I felt slightly disappointed that I didn't tell her how much I really hate the place. You see, we had been expecting a visit from a high-up all week and we were told the sole reason for them being there was to figure out what we (the base line employees) were doing wrong to hurt sales (the company is oblivious to the fact that the economy is in a recession so the dropping profits must be our fault). We were also told it was likely that we would be fired on the spot if we did anything wrong. Knowing this and everything else about the doomed hell-bent company made me want to get fired. I wanted the big boss to come in and start bitching at me for something stupid so I could be like, "I think the best way to resolve this matter is for you to fire me." And then I would tell them the company is fucked and they all deserve what they get. But, no. Doing such a thing would make the new managers look bad and they would be the ones to catch hell for it. They put too much faith and appreciation in my half-assed work, so I couldn't do it. I played the happy worker.
Near my final hour it got really busy and a crazy guy came in and started scaring everyone really bad. He then kept leaving and coming back. The cops were called and I had the distinct feeling the next time the guy returned he would have a gun. Amidst the excitement of it all, my shift ended and I was able to slip out. I nearly ran through the door and once I reached my car I couldn't stop singing a jingle about my newly gained freedom ("Look at me, I'm Free! I'm Free! I'm Free! Hehe!"). I went back a few days later to collect a pay check and see if the guy killed anyone (which he didn't). I then left and now have no reason to ever again step foot in that god forsaken place.
Good Riddance.
Home | Fall 2003: Unemployment
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