Updates for Friday, February 13th [2004]
Bad News
Dear SIRS & MADAMS,
Well, I bear regretable news for you today, my friends. It appears my days of working for the Plaid Pantry are over. It happened this morning, as I left from work. One night a week ago I was working with a new coworker, Bill, and that night he sold beer to three young boys who stop in frequently, and he defended the sale to me upon enquiry.
Bill: What man, you never been a kid wanting a little bit of beer? You can't do it all the times because there are sting operations. But usually you're fine, if you trust them.
Me: Well, I never objected to the fair sale of liquor, and always thought it kinda absurd that we couldn't sell some to whoever wishes to buy it, their fair and honest purchases being of their own accord. Although, I speculate whether it encourages the children or not to drink to excess, I definitely hope they are more disciplined than that.
Bill: Yeah! Plus, you saw them kids, they said it was for their dad. How are we going to deprive the old man of some beer? And you know Gina doesn't give a shit.
Me: You mean Ms. Everson, right?
Bill: Oh yeah, that's one kinky girl right there, good in the sack too if you know what I mean. You went out with her once didn't you? You know what I mean eh?
Me: I'll have you know I most certainly do not know! I believe I do not, in the very least.
So it was last night that when I was working under Ms. Everson's supervision that I saw the same three boys grab some liquor, and approach my stand. I asked them for ID's, but they had none, saying it was for their dad. I, following my coworker's precident, sold them the liquor, but Ms. Everson was watching me. But nothing was said of it for that night, although I had wondered why she refrained from comment about the situation. Maybe she didn't really care, I thought.
So this morning I went for my short early shift, and worked it to completion, when I noted on my schedule that all my other days were erased. She called me into the back office, where she presented with me a final written reprimand which was part of an official firing notice. It was then I enquired as to the nature of this complaint. Aparently, it was indeed against the rules, however, I never once saw Bill get reprimanded. I brought this to her attention and she seemed to be affront to my simple retort, called of it no excuse, and despite my pleas bearing myself unbosomed, she rejected my entreatments, and I was required to sign out and return my work uniform within the week.
The difficult thing was coming home to inform Daniel of the problem.
Me: Aparently I breached a terms of service with her company, I sold liquor to young men who were not of age to drink.
Daniel: Well, you should be ashamed of yourself. We're covered for rent this month, I just paid it, and next month should be fine... it's beyond that I'm worried. You need to get a new job.
Me: And what about you? Should you not look for new work also? Perhaps with me?
Daniel: Well, so long as I'm on unemployment, it doesn't matter. That's all the money we have coming in for right now, I'm not risking that by getting a job.
Me: That most certainly is a backwards perspective.
He doesn't know what he's going to do, but he called his friend James who has already offered to lend us some money for a few night's stay at our apartment. Daniel tells me that to accomodate our guest I may need to sleep on the couch. This is looking to be a very unfavorable time.
Oh, and another thing. I found out the company Daniel worked for! He left out these many filing papers for his taxes, and on them I saw it. "ChronoTech", located in the west side of town. I will spend some of my time learning about this organization, but I cannot interrupt my look for new work. After all, Daniel, my dearest of friends, depends on me.
Humble regards and assurances of respect,
- TH. Jefferson
Editor's Notes:
Yep, I finally decided it was time for TeeJ to find a new job. I'm taking a lot from the era of Jefferson coming into office, when he began having problems with his friend John Adams (who I am putting somewhat in the place of Daniel here). Daniel is obviously a slacker, leeching off his too good friend. Bringing James into the household is the same kind of betrayal to TeeJ as when Adams appointed Jefferson's political opponents into powerful offices just before his presidential term began. TeeJ, like his historic counterpart, is just too kind to point this out.
In fact, I borrowed a lot from that era during this post. The Jefferson-esque lingo where he's appealing to Ms. Everson "unbosomed" was inspired by Jefferson's reply to a disrespectful Mrs. Adams (June 13, 1804), where he all too kindly appealed to her better nature to sustain his friendship with the Adams family.
Ms. Everson is done as a character, maybe she'll make a cameo later, but the lesson with her stands: Government will try to screw you, then when they fail, they'll screw somebody else and keep your money. Rest assured that Ms. Everson will not be the last character to play a passive government archtype.
Oh yes, and if anything, I did want to use a real company for TeeJ's investigations, but it came down to the line so I decided the company will be fictional.
