If you’ve read anything I’ve written on either of my two blogs, you know that a lot of things just seriously piss me off. I guess I tend to complain quite a bit. Sometimes I might complain about something trivial, but other times I feel correct about what I’m griping about. What I’m going to go into today I think is really a legitimate bitch.
In any workplace, there are different types of co-workers. You have the ones that everyone likes, that some like (or tolerate), and the ones you absolutely cannot stand—the ones that make you want to yeet them from the tallest building in your city. You have the dependable workers, the ones that are punctual and rarely call out, and take pride in what they do. You also find the ones that put in minimal effort. They show up, they do what’s absolutely required (and try to weasel their way out of any duty they possibly can). Then, there’s the ones that cannot be relied on for anything. These people always arrive late (if they even show up) and can never be found when they are on the clock. This last group is the ones that make others pick up their slack.
I guess I’m tooting my own horn just a bit, but at my job, I almost never call out—I have before, but only when absolutely necessary, like when I was really sick and could barely walk or when I got my positive corona test last year. I show up on time and do my job, giving my all and sometimes more. I know what I’m doing and I try to send customers something they will enjoy.
Now, in the last three days working before I typed this post, I was scheduled to get off work about an hour before close. However, due to certain co-workers’ lack of desire to work, either by their bad attitude or simply deciding not to show up or even give the slightest notification that they wouldn’t be going in, I wound up having to pick up the slack, working until closing time. I will grant that sometimes it’s by my choice to stay and help, but that’s because I did not want to leave the other cook during a busy period, with large groups of people arriving within that last hour of business. I don’t like to leave people I like to work with in a bad situation that I would not want to be left in myself. I guess I’m just that nice guy…maybe too nice.
Yesterday at work, my shift had already been changed because someone decided they didn’t want to work with certain co-workers. If the person I am referring to reads this, they’ll know I’m talking about them, and I’m not happy. Instead of management telling this person to grow up, grow a pair and get over themselves, they’re coddled and management gives in to their demands. So, my shift is changed to cover their ass. Now, the other (hopefully former) employee decides not to show up, and now I’m left to work by myself all fucking night. When management calls the first person (the one who was originally scheduled that night) to come and help, they have the fucking audacity to either not answer the phone or not come in. Jesus Christ, I’ll remember this next time you’re in a similar predicament. You think I’m gonna help? Ha! Fuck you🖕! Screw me over, and I’ll return the favor.
Unfortunately, no one else would go in for whatever reason, so I was left holding the bag. In three days’ work, I’ve racked up nearly a full week’s worth of hours, so I will be ending up with overtime yet again. I won’t lie, the paychecks have been nice. That direct deposit notification I get every week displays a number I’m not unhappy about. I remember times when the amount of my weekly paycheck now was more than a bi-weekly check at other jobs. I have one day off, and I’m going to enjoy it. I remember back when I was a shift manager at Burger King—this had to be at least 10 years ago, the general manager was a real douchebag. I’d be running an errand before work, and he’d call me saying he needed me to come in early. Actually, it was more like he was demanding. I’d go in, thinking it was busy, but it was just because we wanted to leave early. Before too long, I would stop answering the phone for work. Like I said before, sometimes I’m too nice a guy, and people have taken advantage of that. Over the years, I’ve learned more to say no and to be selfish sometimes. Self-care and mental health require limits to be set and lines to be drawn and not crossed. I love having nice paychecks, but I need at least one day off to myself, away from work. Even if that day involves being lazy at home all day and not doing a goddamned thing. Downtime is not a luxury, it’s a necessity, just like sleep is. George Carlin once commented in one of his HBO shows that too many parents are burning their kids out with things like scheduled playdates and everything planned to the minute. He further said that kids (and even adults) need a little time to just daydream, to zone out and do nothing. It’s very true.
In our modern society, especially in America, of work, schedules, deadlines and constant go-go-go, too many people wear their overwork and burnout like a badge of honor, like you’re a slacker if you aren’t working 80, 90, 100 hours a week. One time on Facebook, I saw a picture someone in a restaurant shared of their clock out slip. At the end of the week, they’d finished with 112 hours. IN ONE WEEK! That’s only 56 hours out of the week outside of work. That person had to be seriously sleep deprived, probably running on fumes and energy drinks🥱. Holy fuck, did dude even sleep😱😵? On most days, I will sleep some six hours, but even that is not the recommended amount we’re supposed to snooze. We should be hitting the sack for 8 hours a night, according to health professionals.
Where you work, are there people like this, that don’t give a flying fuck about anything? Is there someone who you wish would just quit to make everyone’s lives less stressful? I’d love to read your experiences! Leave me a comment on here, Facebook or Instagram, or contact me via email to raysrantsoftheweek@gmail.com.
Better days are ahead, I’m sure. I keep going day by day, as I hope you do as well. To the religious, may God bless you in the coming week. For the non-religious, I hope you have a great and fortuitous week. Remember to get vaccinated, if that is your choice; wash your hands and wear your masks when you have to. Above all else, please be safe and be well.
Ray’s Rants of the Week 