Carnevale Ashes

Carnevale ended yesterday.
Today, in Christian Rites, is Ash Wednesday - a day of fasting (or the start of 40 days of it for some), confession, penitence and/or repentance. As though we hadn't just been thru February.

Even in my  little world, the mask of yesterdays has had to come off. I have to be redeemed. I was "bad" at work again. I somehow ran the bill of two different customers together. (Customers often remove the divider between orders being processed via a "belt". When they do it, it is my fault for not catching it.) This incident was particularly embarrassing, as just two or three days earlier had been my annual "review". On all but two matters, I "meet expectations".  My attendance and not properly timed break time clock punches (you're bad if you're early, you're bad if you're late) "need work". And, I had called in sick a couple of times, not that catching colds is realted to management/ownsership not providing heat in winter. And, after being given work that just hit the border of my Orthopedists "no no" list, I had once gone home early in an  excelsius of pain: working 5 hours is too little to be considered a full day of work, so it counted as a sick day. I committed such sick day sin a total of 6 times within six months. I did not get the usual 6 written notices for this, all of which have to be signed. If not for two omissions, it would be 6-6-6. Not that that means anything. I'm just sayin'.

I was also found to "need work" on the handling of money. (Now I will have to watch a video before I can return to work.) I had been put on a "watch" list for a cash drawer which had been short of funds. I only found out when I noticed an audit and asked a bookkeeper about it. I was never informed via management. I was also one of several people who had been on that cash drawer that day - so we were all put on the watch list - except for the shift leaders who over assigned the drawer, that is.

And I sometimes don't give my full attention to the transaction finale - I forgot to give customers their stamps, or I didn't give them their coupons (which usually print out long after the customer has left), etc.

I protested having such nonsense in my file. I protested the use of such nonsense to restrict the amount of my raise - last year my raise was 14 cents "with their apologies ": due to the economy they couldn't afford more. Which made it rather silly of them to tell us in one of the news letters they send us how they turned a sizable profit last year.

It was also noted that my "rings per minute" were not up to company standard. My express line  rings were especially low. Of course, they send shopping carts well over half full to express now. There is no place to put everything, so one bags a customer's groceries as one goes. It takes time. And, of course, there was no mention that I am usually one of the fastest cashiers there on a month by month basis, and until work hours were cut back, I regularly handled more customers than anyone else.

So I protested the several items. I even noted that "I am a damn good cashier" at one point.

Oopsie.

When I total a customer's order, I always announce the amount. When the customer hands me money, I always announce how much. I always count back the change. Somehow, in spite of my careful procedures, I ran two orders together. Management watched the camera tapes which monitor us to confirm that it was my mistake. I do not get to see the tapes. The receipt was shown to me, but I couldn't do more than give it a quick once over while both a manager and an assistant manager stood on either side of me: both playing bad cop. I felt like a bright light was being shined in my face. So, since today is my day off, within the next 15 minutes as I write, I have to call the front end's assistant manager of customer relations to tell them if I want to continue working there or not. If I do abase myself in this manner, then my next few months will be under extreme scrutiny. And I will have to sign letters about that.

During the three and a half years I've been working there, at least 2 bookkeepers, as well as a number of shift leaders, have found themselves in such position of scrutiny. Strangely enough, they had all filed complaints against the the front end managers. They are also all gone. Ashes to ashes. Both of the bookkeepers were somehow missing $100 at the end of their next to last day of employment.  I should be clear, in case anyone from my place of employment should discover this post, that I am in no way accusing any level of the store's management of any skulduggery, display of dispassionatee ill will, or situational malfeasance in employee disappearances. I'm just sayin', is all, I'm just sayin'.

Welcome to the days of penitence and repentance.

And hey, if I really behave myself, maybe I can get into that new company housing being built out back where they tore down that homeless camp!