Stuck

I ate Mexican food across the street from the parts store where I used to work a few nights ago. Seeing that the parking lot wasn’t full, I figured I’d stop in and see what the haps were. It was slow at the moment and a manager there told me he’d love to see me come back. I looked around and honestly missed the place. He said that other than the inevitable rushes that happened sometimes, it wasn’t bad.

I told him I’d speak with the store manager about a part-time position and bid him adieu.

Yesterday, a Sunday, I stopped in again because I needed Simple Green for some projects I’m doing. In short, it was a disaster. Yes, there were five employees behind various counters, which should have been more than enough to cover the small crowd inside the store. Instead, it was complete chaos because out of the five employees, only one was exhibiting anything resembling a sense of urgency.

People were yelling for help at the register, asking if they were in the correct line, wondering why the hell there were even tills if nobody was going to pilot them. One guy dropped his items on the soda vending machine and walked out digusted, his head shaking.

That is the auto parts store I remember; that is the stupidity I cannot stand to deal with anymore; that is why the store needs to pick itself up by its bootstraps and fire at least three-quarters of its counter people. The managers are all pretty good, but the regular mooks need to go, and in a hurry.

I looked at the girlfriend and was like yeaaaaaaaaaaaa, noooooooo... I bought my item and drove home, simply amazed that so many incompetent people continue to work at that place when there are hordes of folks——many of them surely good and qualified——willing to work for the same pay and vastly improve the store overall.

But they won't fire people. They just won't.

So, here I sit, torn between the facts that I don’t currently have a job and that my former employers are asking me to return to a place that is 100% fucked up, especially on weekends, for pennies over minimum wage.

I’m leaning toward taking my chances, that I’ll find something soon. I do love the place, I truly do, and I’m a strong player there, I just cannot deal with complete and utter nonsense. Life is simply too short.