I ME MINE

It has been quite a week since my last entry. I hardly know where to begin. One of the intervening events, at least, has already grown so stale that it hardly bears repeating. But here goes ... I had something of an issue at work with Brian (the guitar guy) and I had to pull rank and act like a supervisor. It's a long story and I'm really tired of telling it. I'll just say that he is now on his last warning. I never really wanted to see him get fired (much), but I think he needed a major attitude adjustment. He, basically, calls in sick (meaning drunk) at least once a week. But he knows how many infractions - or occurences, in Borders parlance - he has and exactly how many more he can get away with. It has become ridiculous. So when he wandered in fifteen minutes late, reeking of beer, and said he couldn't stay, because he was "tired" (even though he had paid a cab to bring him all the way to work), I had to ask, "Do you want to work here or don't you?" I also told him he could go home if he felt like it, because I had the authority to send him home if I saw fit. Maybe I was a little edgy with him, but I was taking my voice of authority on its maiden voyage. I didn't particularly enjoy doing this, but it had to be done. And I think I handled it pretty well (despite what Jordan says).

So Brian got mad and threw away his name tag, etc. He said, "You can't send me home, I'm leaving!"

What a cliche'!

Then he wandered across the street to Bennigans to drink more beer with his friends ... which was probably why he took a cab to our neck of the woods to begin with. He began calling the store and asking people if he still had a job, and told everyone that he didn't really quit. Even though, when he was leaving Borders, he had made a purchase and told the cashier not to give him an employee discount as he no longer worked for the company.

He told other employees (most notably Jordan) that, if he lost his job, he was going to have his friends call the Customer Care hotline and make up numerous false complaints about me, up to (and including) charges of sexual misconduct.

Pretty serious stuff.

So I scrawled off a few emails to the right people, detailing the entire situation and documenting all the witnesses, etc. Note: other people smelled beer on him, too. And he verbally threatened a co-worker who made a harmless quip about his haircut.

All in the same night.

Anyway, he still works for Borders, but as I have said, he is hanging on by a very thin thread. It must be impossible to fire people. And I really am tired of this story. I don't want to discuss it anymore.

Incidentally, I put in quite a lot of overtime this week, so my paycheck should be huge.

On a brighter note, I had a marvelous time at Aunt Sally's house on Thursday night. Friday, my day off, was just as enjoyable. I walked along the Chisolm Trail all the way to Barnes & Noble and back. Much of this time was spent reminiscing about the old days at B&N. Then I took a little trip to the Witchy Woods. But, this time, I wandered off the Jordan Trail and went deep into the dense foliage. Somewhere, out there in the depths of the woods, lay the remains of a little house. All that was left was an asphalt shingle roof, an old well, and a rusty bathing tub. Wreckage of a simpler time.

I also went to work on my garage, cleaning and rearranging. And then I went through mountains of old papers and put them all in their proper place --- be it in the trash, or in a file, or whatever.

And, tonight, after a hard day at work, I came home and grilled two delicious steaks, baked a potato, and cooked some veggies. I marinated the steaks all night long in Stubb's Beef Marinade. Good stuff. The best! Then I sizzled them to perfection on the big grill that was gifted to me by Jordan & Amanda. Believe it or not, this was my first time to use a grill, and I didn't burn down the house or fry the cat or anything. And the steaks ended up being excellent.

I've started rereading Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. It's one of my all-time favorite fantasy epics. I would recommend it to anyone.

Well --- that's about it.

I feel like I've left something out.

Oh yes! I found a Jason's Deli gift card on the floor at work. It's got almost twenty dollars left on it! I'll be eating well (and for free!) all week.

And I'm thinking of finally biting the bullet and getting a cell phone.