Work Issues

The school board's Spring Break started today.

Which means that my store is filling up with bored kids who decide to use my location as a place to hang out and play video games.

Oh, and also, because they're bored, they try to shoplift a lot more.

Of course, I'm scheduled to open every day I work this week. By myself.

So, today, a trio of teenaged boys come in. Two of them make a beeline for the video games cabinets at the back of the store. The third tries to distract me.

"Um, can I see the Sony discman in the shelf?"

I'm busy watching the other two like a hawk. I don't quite hear him.

"Pardon?" I ask.

"Can I see this Sony discman?"

"Oh. Yeah. Sure." I take him to the discman cabinet, just keeping an eye on the other two at the back. I make sure that the third is not distracting me.

While the third is looking at the walkman, one of the kids starts trying to pick the lock on the Nintendo cabinet.

I decide enough is enough. Time to kick these kids out. Still at the discmen, I yell, at the top of my lungs, "Hey! Would you mind not trying to break into my Nintendo cabinet?"

Realizing that he was caught, he decides to try to bluff me, and starts yelling at me.

"I was just looking at the memory cards."

I snatch the Sony back from the third and lock it back up.

"So why were you trying to pick the lock?"

"With what?" the kid yells.

"You tell me. Out of the store. Now."

The three leave, yelling and trying to knock over displays, because they were so rudely treated when they were only trying to look around and buy things.

"See if we ever come back here again!" the first yells while leaving the store.

I just HAD to laugh at that one...

* * *

Just got the news. I passed my assistant manager testing, and am now getting a $1000 a year raise. Yay me!

That's a goodly $40 or so per paycheck more.

In other store news, Tom is leaving the store next month and going back to Calgary to manage a store there.

If the rumours are true about who's taking over the store, I'll be asking for a transfer mighty quickly.

If it's Stock, a guy who used to manage up here before going down south a year ago, I want a move.

The managers in the district are already grumbling about Stock coming back up.

And I know some guys he's worked with well. And I don't get along with them. Therefore, if he works well with guys I despise, I'm willing to see him as someone I couldn't be in the same store with.

So, if given the choice, I'd lobby for the Southgate posting. Still close to where I am, bigger store, new looking store, not the rundown mess that is the BD location.

And a manager who I can work with. Otherwise, I'd consider either West Ed, KGM, or Ed Centre...