Last night I was trying to get some sleep, and I couldn't get sleep, which infuriated me. After a few hours of sleeplessness, I got a text message, sent to people who work at Crumb Brothers, the bakery I work at. It was from a coworker, and she said that "something came up" and she wasn't "able to make it" to her shift the next day (today). I have the morning shift, from 6 to 10, so I can go to school from 11 to 2 and then work the evening from 4 until whenever I get done. This girl's shift was from 10 to 2.
Well, at about 9:58 this morning at work, I started looking for her to come through the door, or to at least drive up and park in the parking lot or something. The bus comes by my work at 14 minutes after the hour, so I was really hoping to make that bus so I could get to school by 11. Every minute I looked at the clock with great interest and passion, hoping that this girl would come and relieve me. I called her and left her a text message, and she didn't even bother to answer her phone. Somehow she is able to use it at 1:13 a.m. but not at 10:03 a.m.? What the stink? Anyway, there was no one to relieve me. I just had to be stuck with it. I was stuck there until almost 3:00 this afternoon, and then went straight to my other job. I can't imagine what could have "come up." If her mother died, I'd think she would say in her text message that her mother had died. I think that she would have called the manager (who isn't there on Mondays, but we have been given her home phone number, and it's on the same paper where she got my phone number). Maybe she got stuck in Puerto Rico or Russia --- but I'd think she'd also have mentioned that in her text message. And I think she'd also have called the manager about something like that. When she says "something came up" and "I won't be able to make it," I think she decided to go to a movie with her boyfriend. Or that she wanted to go to a birthday party.
BUT YOU DON'T JUST NOT SHOW UP. It wasn't my responsibility to be there this afternoon. It was my responsibility and obligation to be at SCHOOL. That's the "something that came up" for ME. The fact that she ignored my phone call and text message really ticks me off. She should have at least let me know she wasn't going to be there at all, so I knew what to count on, or so I could arrange a replacement (even though that's not my responsibility --- I'd have been happy to do that if I at least knew what to expect!!). I know I can't count on her for any reason. I am so incredibly bothered by this situation. In retrospect, I'm glad she didn't show up at all because I'd have been angry with her and probably have said how I felt, which may have made her cry, and I don't like it when I make people cry. I don't think she wants a job that badly. For a girl who's getting between 8-12 hours a week and missing a 4-hour shift so irresponsibly, she's not really proving her desire and commitment for a job.
3 comments:
That is infuriating. It reminded me of primary, when teachers would just not show up...every week...at least three at a time. I mean, the least you can do is call someone and let them know you won't be there! I know you're not being paid to teach primary, but there are people counting on you, and people with other responsibilities that somehow have to take care of yours, too. I remember getting a call one Sunday morning from one teacher (who was reliable) from the EMERGENCY ROOM, apologizing that she wouldn't be there because she had to rush her child up there for some reason. After that, my philosophy was, "Hey, even the emergency room has a phone...use it!"
Sorry to rant, but that flood of frustration just came spilling over when I read this post. I'm sorry you had such a yucky day.
Oohh! That IS infuriating. I'm sorry you had to rearrange your life for someone else's irresponsibility. I don't know if there is a greater test of ones charity than THAT!
This girl probably had primary teachers who did that to her when she was little, so she thought it was okay. It isn't, though!
I was in a ward once where I didn't know the 8-year-olds' teacher, but she called me every Saturday for three weeks in a row and had me teach the next day -- and I wasn't even attending that ward!!! I was attending the singles' ward and my family was in the family ward, so this teacher saw me before I switched and decided I could be her fill-in. This teacher didn't even give me a manual. She said, "Find it online, at lds.org. The title of the lesson is such-and-such." That site is the LEAST user-friendly site I've EVER used (and I'm not exaggerating), so it took me like a half-hour to find the lesson for that age group with a title that sounded familiar (she didn't know the lesson NUMBER, either). After the third Sunday, she asked me to teach her class again, and I said, "Sorry, but going to two church blocks is like a full-time job, and you need to teach your class if you've made the commitment to God that you would. It's a serious commitment, and it's yours, not mine." Maybe I didn't say those direct words, but I thought them. And I'd never even MET this girl; I don't even know what she looks like!
In her defense, at least she tried to find someone to fill in for her, but if she's gallivanting the countryside, she could have stopped by my house and dropped off a lesson manual. I don't have a printer so I couldn't have a hard copy of the lesson.
And most people know their plans for the next few weeks if they're going to be traveling extensively. Calling the day before and saying, "Good luck on finding the lesson online! I'm outta here -- so long, sucka!" is not very considerate.
The Lord does love flaky people. But He also holds them responsible to the commitments they've made. If you don't, it's like lying, and you'll go to hell.
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