Oh, and did I happen to mention I lost my m*&%er f%$?!ing job???? Oh yeah. The last day Leo was here, I got called in to work and they fired me.
Why? Well, my lack of punctuality ( 5-10 mins) was just TOO much. I agree it was problematic, but nobody DIED from it. Never mind that the other receptionist is also always dragging her ass, too. They've never missed client because of me, and I work my ass off when I get there, running hither and yon.
Reason #2 was just the kicker, though: they had a complaint that I was going into the men's sauna area and it was making people uncomfortable. Well, lemee tell ya, I didn't WANT to be going into the men's sauna area; the timer on both the women and men's sauna only runs everry 20 mins, and they were on me CONSTANTLY to be checking it. They told me I'd have to get used to seeing people's bodies, etc, and were harping one me, "Jessica, the sauna isn't on!!!" So I made a point to check it every time I went to the back. And when I checked it, I'd knock on the door, back into the area averting my eyes, switch it on, and leave. After about three weeks of this, they told me," don't go in there. You're not a man." Perplexed, I just kept doing it, not wanting to get yelled at. Apparently they had a complaint, ( I know exactly who it was, too, since he spoke to me directly about my forgetting to knock once and I apologized profusely) and that was unacceptable. As my fat, bitter, irritating boss said, 'we're here to make people comfortable, not get a free show." FREE SHOW? Oh, because I so want to see *that* all day long. Right, right.
But in the end- and I hate, hate , HATE to say this-- I think it was a cultural thing. I was only one of three non-Latino people working there, and none of us were related or neighbors, etc. The other two were massage therapists, so they're not gonna get fired. But the lone white girl, that's easy to dismiss. And why would they? You're gonna love this.... they thought my sarcastic sense of humor was an attitude problem ( the comment in question was to the Younger Daughter, who had come in on her day off, "B, what are you doing here! Go enjoy your day off!" Gosh. It's just damn near DISRESPECTFUL, isn't it?? *Groan*) My direct supervisor ( who happens to be the Daughter-In-Law) told me one day that Bitter Fat Daughter thought I was giving her "attitude" when she was sitting around waiting for a fax, and there was nothing for me to do and I said, " L, is there anything you need me to do? I could wait for this fax if you need to be doing something else." She got all huffy and told Supervisor that I was trying to get her out of the office and run the whole show myself. WHAT?!?! Supervisor explained to me that she told them they were being ridiculous, and that I was just trying to be proactive. But she told me flat out that they didn't get my humor and my personality. I - god FORBID- laughed at work, and jested with the therapists. I tried to be friendly and get to know my coworkers, and that was just NOT how they did things, she said. "Work is work to them, and they HATE gossip. They dont want to tell you anything about themselves, they keep everything close to the vest. And they thing because you have fun at work you're not taking it seriously." Um, okay. I tried to tone it down, but I guess I just didnt get the clue. I'm not a part of their world, and to them, I just didn't fit.
Plus, the new receptionist is their neice. So out I went.
Fine. You know? Just FINE. I'm not Mexican, but I sure was trying hard to do a good job, and understand their way of doing things. At least this time I KNOW it wasn't me. I don't miss it at all, strangely enough. I AM pissed I didn't get that free massage, but alas....
At the time, though, I was so angry and frustrated that Leo offered to stay an extra day ( he couldn't- holiday travel weekend). So yesterday I had to deal with him leaving AND losing my job. Good times, eh? I'll survive it, but as Lynnie said, " I know it gets to the point where you're thinking, 'why do I have to keep pulling on my resources? Why can't it be a bit less chaotic?" Exactly. But who knows -- I'm feeling that it's time for a change anyway. Not just in job, but in whole life. And I have this deep-in-my-bones feeling that the world in turning on its axis and it's going in a different direction, and if I'm smart, I'll go with it. So be it, then.
Why? Well, my lack of punctuality ( 5-10 mins) was just TOO much. I agree it was problematic, but nobody DIED from it. Never mind that the other receptionist is also always dragging her ass, too. They've never missed client because of me, and I work my ass off when I get there, running hither and yon.
Reason #2 was just the kicker, though: they had a complaint that I was going into the men's sauna area and it was making people uncomfortable. Well, lemee tell ya, I didn't WANT to be going into the men's sauna area; the timer on both the women and men's sauna only runs everry 20 mins, and they were on me CONSTANTLY to be checking it. They told me I'd have to get used to seeing people's bodies, etc, and were harping one me, "Jessica, the sauna isn't on!!!" So I made a point to check it every time I went to the back. And when I checked it, I'd knock on the door, back into the area averting my eyes, switch it on, and leave. After about three weeks of this, they told me," don't go in there. You're not a man." Perplexed, I just kept doing it, not wanting to get yelled at. Apparently they had a complaint, ( I know exactly who it was, too, since he spoke to me directly about my forgetting to knock once and I apologized profusely) and that was unacceptable. As my fat, bitter, irritating boss said, 'we're here to make people comfortable, not get a free show." FREE SHOW? Oh, because I so want to see *that* all day long. Right, right.
But in the end- and I hate, hate , HATE to say this-- I think it was a cultural thing. I was only one of three non-Latino people working there, and none of us were related or neighbors, etc. The other two were massage therapists, so they're not gonna get fired. But the lone white girl, that's easy to dismiss. And why would they? You're gonna love this.... they thought my sarcastic sense of humor was an attitude problem ( the comment in question was to the Younger Daughter, who had come in on her day off, "B, what are you doing here! Go enjoy your day off!" Gosh. It's just damn near DISRESPECTFUL, isn't it?? *Groan*) My direct supervisor ( who happens to be the Daughter-In-Law) told me one day that Bitter Fat Daughter thought I was giving her "attitude" when she was sitting around waiting for a fax, and there was nothing for me to do and I said, " L, is there anything you need me to do? I could wait for this fax if you need to be doing something else." She got all huffy and told Supervisor that I was trying to get her out of the office and run the whole show myself. WHAT?!?! Supervisor explained to me that she told them they were being ridiculous, and that I was just trying to be proactive. But she told me flat out that they didn't get my humor and my personality. I - god FORBID- laughed at work, and jested with the therapists. I tried to be friendly and get to know my coworkers, and that was just NOT how they did things, she said. "Work is work to them, and they HATE gossip. They dont want to tell you anything about themselves, they keep everything close to the vest. And they thing because you have fun at work you're not taking it seriously." Um, okay. I tried to tone it down, but I guess I just didnt get the clue. I'm not a part of their world, and to them, I just didn't fit.
Plus, the new receptionist is their neice. So out I went.
Fine. You know? Just FINE. I'm not Mexican, but I sure was trying hard to do a good job, and understand their way of doing things. At least this time I KNOW it wasn't me. I don't miss it at all, strangely enough. I AM pissed I didn't get that free massage, but alas....
At the time, though, I was so angry and frustrated that Leo offered to stay an extra day ( he couldn't- holiday travel weekend). So yesterday I had to deal with him leaving AND losing my job. Good times, eh? I'll survive it, but as Lynnie said, " I know it gets to the point where you're thinking, 'why do I have to keep pulling on my resources? Why can't it be a bit less chaotic?" Exactly. But who knows -- I'm feeling that it's time for a change anyway. Not just in job, but in whole life. And I have this deep-in-my-bones feeling that the world in turning on its axis and it's going in a different direction, and if I'm smart, I'll go with it. So be it, then.
posted by Jessica @ 4:24 AM
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