Almost the end of the job

Well, they didn't write what I asked for on the schedule. 10-3, I said. 10-4, if absolutely necessary, because that's what I originally asked for more than a month ago. The district manager just couldn't understand why I wouldn't agree to 9-6, and I just didn't even think we needed to have the discussion. Just put 10-3 on the schedule, or hurry and get to the part where we both agree that I won't be coming in at all. And he's saying he's not mad, he's just upset that the other manager made all these agreements that aren't company policy. And he wants to show me a company manual that says everyone is supposed to work at least eight hours that day, but what difference does that make? I'm busy that day, and I was hired knowing that I would be busy that day, and showing me a manual that I never saw before and did not agree to isn't going to help. None of that changes my mind. None of that changes my situation. I care more about this party that we've been planning for months than I care about a job I didn't even want enough to apply for. And he's all saying how he likes me and I seem to be really good at the job, and can't we come to some compromise? He doesn't understand that I already had this discussion last year with the other manager, and this was the compromise. I'd rather not work Saturday at all. It will just make me nervous, and I'll have to miss another costume contest with prize money.

He was so upset with the other manager. But he shouldn't be. So she hired some people she knew couldn't work Saturday and people she knew would leave before the store closed. The important thing at the time was she had to get the store opened, and she couldn't have done that on time without hiring some people from last year and people who had scheduling problems. There's been plenty of time to replace us, if that's what needed to be done. And I personally was okay with that, and had even put that in writing before I left for Kansas. But you can't demand people work for you when they've already said they have a prior commitment. If you threaten to fire them, they'll just leave even earlier. It's a temp job, and none of us are going to be here in a couple of weeks anyway.

So finally, after he looks at all the paperwork I had signed, and after I'm able to convince him that I really don't even want the job and I really was hired under the condition that I be allowed to leave without a big fuss and that I would not under any circumstances work later than 4 on Saturday, he gave up. And he gave me off tomorrow and Friday and even let me go home early today to get me to work 9-4, which was what I had originally agreed to when I came back to work this season.

So now I should be able to finish the costume. In fact, I should be able to also carve a pumpkin and maybe even make a dessert.

Still, I tend to feel bad after having the discussion, even if I did come out ahead.