JUST REMEMBERED THAT I FORGOT

My leather jacket is at work, hanging up behind the front desk. Oh man, they'd better not sell it. As soon as I finish this post, I've got an errand to run.

Work went pretty well today. An absolute ton of people came in, and lots of them actually bought stuff. I love it when that happens.

The day started off rough, though. Jeff, our main delivery/pickup driver, came in and immediately started making excuses about why he needs to leave a little early today. He's 26 and taking classes at the local community college - he goes to school two days a week; works three - yet this is the second time in as many weeks that he's had to leave work in order to go do something at the school. Today's reason was "I have to register for next semester at 5:30 tonight." I asked why he didn't do that yesterday, or heck, even online, and he said he couldn't. I asked why he couldn't have registered before coming to work (he starts at 9:00 - or is supposed to, but that's another story), and he again said he couldn't.

I have attended this same school before, and there is no way that they force registration on 10,000-plus students at a single time on a single day. No way. Jeff stammered something about being on academic probation and needing signatures (why he couldn't get these yesterday is beyond me) and so on and so forth. I told him it was a huge inconvenience for me to reschedule deliveries at the last minute, but that I'd try - THIS time. From now on, though, he's got to take care of school things on school days. I'm tired of his job taking a back seat, especially since he has ample opportunity to take care of things on his days off.

At first I was concerned about ticking him off, as he really is a good delivery guy and everyone likes him. Then I remembered all the times he's come in late because he had to go to school for something, or to the Workforce Commission for something else, and all the times I've gotten calls from some job-verification organization that checks up on Jeff to ensure he's working and is thus eligible for his benefits. I figure that if he bails on me, the job place will have something to say about those benefits - and being hit in the pocketbook hurts more than being hit in the face.

For now, I feel secure in having called him out. I know, I know. I'm manager of the place, and as such, shouldn't worry about being stricter with my employees. I admit I'm a people-pleaser, though, and that makes me vulnerable to the stupid "what if they get mad at me?" thoughts. I really need to learn to suck it up.

Tomorrow I have to work during the day, then go home around 4:00, then go back and work the last hour and do closing. Wanna know why? Because Jay called in today and said he "just" found out he has to go with the school choir to Brenham tomorrow and Saturday. What do you know, those just happen to be the same two days he's on the work schedule.

Tomorrow: How I fired Jay. (Oh yes, I did.) Stay tuned!