Pulling Doubles

Three long days. Back to back to back. Co-workers calling in sick and who has to cover? Yeah, that’s me Paul, the closing chump err manager. My shift the last three days were 4 to midnight and when someone on the night crew calls in, I’m stuck with the responsibility of covering. There’s usually 2-3 people on the crew each night but last night was supposed to have two. Store policy states that there has to be two people in the store at all times and I’m one of them until Dee the dairy guy shows up at 3 AM. If it was during the day, then trying to find another person is less of a hassle but around midnight… Who’s really going to answer their phone? On any day I would rather throw freight than deal with hundreds of different personalities because its quiet, I don’t have to greet, I don’t have to smile, no customer telling me why my service sucks, etc… Just Michael Bolton’s greatest hits CD on repeat that my co-worker is playing on his boom box as we throw the freight. “How do you listen to this guy?” I asked in disbelief. “Bolton soothes my mind man.” He responds without looking back at me while stocking the salsa. I get the best of two worlds, being a customer service pro during the day and a freight thrower at night, in one day. My mentality is shot and my body is now taking its toll carrying large bags of dog food, cat litter, and boxes canned tuna. I’m pushing a 6-wheeler full of cat litter by the stores entrance when I hear a knock at door. Looking at the clock its 2:40 AM. I’m excited and grinning as I head towards the door because it’s finally time to go home. My smile is immediately turned upside down when I realized its some random guy, “Hey, are you still open? Without saying a word, I shake my head. “Isn’t this store supposed to be 24-hours?” I shake my head. “Can you talk!?” I shake my head again. After stocking the kitty litter, I head back to load more things on the 6-wheeler. I see Xavier and I ask him when are we going to take a break. “We never take breaks, it messes up our groove, breaks are for pussies.” I paused for a little bit because during the day we get 2 breaks per 8 hours… “You can take one if you like.” He said in a sarcastic girly tone. “I’m good, I got this.” In my macho demeanor but little does he know I’m really pouting like a kid who didn’t get what he asked for on Christmas. We get done with most of the freight and I forget to check what time it is, I look up and its… 5:24 AM! “What the #!*!?, I said to myself. I find Xavier loading the cardboard into the baler. “What time is Dee supposed to come in tonight?” “Oh, he’s already here.” He said. “How he get in? I asked in complete shock. “I let him in.” He said nonchalantly. “What time did he come?” I asked in frustration. “Around 3 o’clock or so…” “W..Whh..Why didn’t you tell me!?!?!?” In my furious tone which is comparable to Alvin and the Chipmunks.. high pitched. “Was I supposed to? My bad. I did’t want to do this whole load myself.” He’s right. You can’t leave a co-worker hanging…

Tagged as: pulling doubles