20:57 - 05/25/2009
Catch Me if You Can
The crows made me look like a hero yesterday. Generally I like them anyway; cheeky little devils with bad manners, but there is a reason that a large gathering of them is called a "murder" of crows. Sadly, yes, they are bullies. Yesterday, I had let my five cats outside to play - finally warm and dry enough for those pampered house babies. They were happily checking out all the new smells, while I was fussing over my rose bushes. First time since I planted them they developed something called crown galls. Went inside to surf the web for ideas on what kind of a problem they might present and how best to deal with them. All of a sudden, I heard one crow making a lot of racket. Normally I don't pay much attention, but something in the nearness of the sound and the tone of it made me decide I had better check outside, pronto. It only took seeing the generally fearless Ms Kitty cowering under the hammock with two of the other babies to realize that they felt very threatened. A second crow had just arrived to back up that first crow. I shouted at them. Off they went looking for easier prey to intimidate. Typical bullies - no cojones once they are confronted, at least in a small group. I had been worried that my babies might not want to return indoors, but they all came quietly and happily after that little contretemps. I had been pet sitting for a friend each day the week prior and even my desertion of their fine selves for a few hours each of those days was now forgiven too. Even the scent of d-o-g was now not such a terrible thing, I guess.
So back to the work thing. On the night I last wrote about such things, I mentioned I was facing an almost 24 shift. Ended up working til about 2 in the am, I think, at a campy clothing store. The manager dropped me off last of the team, so I only had two hours sleep before I had to head off for the next assignment - early morning meet time. That store was out of town to the north. Turned out - according to the city manager, who arrived around 10 in the am - that too many counters had been booked to work. Meant the ten of us assigned to a specialty count first were sent home then. Great frustration all around, since it meant being shorted several hours' pay. If I had known I was only going to be paid for three hours I would have stayed in bed and slept, thank you very much. One of the other crew had been at prayers the day before and still had some of the signs from that activity on his hands. Special Hindu service it was. Since the city manager had to drive us back into town he had brought a cd of hymns (bhajan) from that faith to play on the way home. I think there were three of four of our team who really appreciated the thought.
Next morning I was assigned to work in the stockroom of one major store. The odd thing was, that even though we had worked there many times before, we were all of a sudden treated as though we were security risks by that store's manager. She had us all paged back to her office. Gave us a lecture about the need to follow the instructions of her vp, rather than our supervisor. Nuh uh - not in the contract. Then we were sent back to the meet room to wait while further comments were directed at the supervisor and manager of that assignment. Finally got started quite late, after signing the security register. Very little of the resources that the store was contractually required to provide were actually given, so we struggled through the second day of that assignment. I had been at the other store where we had been sent home so early - on the first day of that other store's count, where I might have actually been useful. The one supervisor leaving for an appointment mid-morning so that I was working with our manager to supervise. He called head office to let them know how little help we were getting and how few resources we had access to, just as we are instructed to do if there is a problem. I could hear him being chewed out, instead of getting the support he needed. Morning after, was the scheduled floor count with about 40 people in tow. The problems of the day before meant a whole team had to be assigned to finish off the stockroom, while the rest of us worked out among the customers. Same odd requirements for security again, so I guess we weren't being singled out for any particular reason. Lots of jokes cracked among the counters about it, but tension nevertheless.
One day break and then another very late evening count followed by another very early morning count. High end sports store in the evening. The building was under construction and it was a - for this area - hot and muggy night, working without air conditioning. Bleagh. I stayed late to help the manager clear up the variances, but I enjoy doing that even though it means very little sleep. He dropped me off at the friend's home where I stay when I can't make it to the pick up point for those very early assignments, because the transit system doesn't serve my community at that time.
Another full day on my feet with only a couple of hours sleep for the next shift. Oh well. Same chain store where I had been sent home after only three hours work the last time I was on site, so I was glad that at least I was kept until the end of the count late in the day. Next day, same chain store different location times three. There was a shortage of counters that day, so we worked extra late. One of my co-workers had brought her car and offered to drive me, well out of her way, crosstown, all the way home. I think she knew I was really tired and wanted me to get home as early as possible. I took her out for supper as a thank you and also as a good-bye. She had scheduled a family trip to Mexico - which of course was cancelled - so they decided to drive the loop through Montana to the Grand Canyon, over to California, then up the Pacific Coast Highway to the Canadian Vancouver before returning home. We had a really enjoyable visit while we ate, talking about family and travels we had experienced in earlier years. Nice to have friends who share so many interests and values in the workplace.
Next day was back at the chain store where security had suddenly become an issue, but a different location. At least security had been an issue at the previous one. This time we were working with one of the vps who I really admire and who goes out of his way to ensure we have as much support as he, personally, can give us. No signing of registers and no pep talks from on high. I was the only female on the crew. Not a problem - I can keep up with "the boys". Well maybe. Mid-morning, I found some merchandise hidden away in a skid that shouldn't have been there. Gave it to the vp, who acknowledged that there had been a problem with "shrinkage". New term for theft by one's own employee's. Might have explained some of the behaviour at the last store, but not why we, instead of their own staff, were being treated as risks.
Lunch was a bit sad. Two of our counters come from countries where there is extreme violence in civil wars raging in their homelands. They had both already expressed grave concern for the safety of family and friends left behind. They spent the break trying to console each other and - although I can't speak either of the languages they use - trying to find some hope in possible developments fostered both by the international community, as well as within their own states. Both live in countries that were contained in the silk road trade route to China in the Middle Ages. Both have warned me that it is too dangerous to travel there now and speak sadly of all the destruction of the artefacts and antiquities by the current violence.
Later in the afternoon, I was assigned to work on one particular skid. After a short assessment, I called the supervisor for the day over and asked if he would mind asking the vp to come see me, explaining why first, of course. I showed both of them what I'd found that had made me nervous. Sure enough there was evidence of some very sophisticated planning in the theft I had uncovered at this skid. Probably not the same people involved as the morning discovery. This was a lot more disturbing. The vp made the necessary inquiries and took the actions he needed to with the other managers who were affected by the discovery. Came back to me later to let me know it was likely the work of someone he would never have guesssed would do so. We discussed both our training in detecting social engineering and the type of people - usually in positions of trust - who are involved. He was obviously very disappointed, but let me know he was grateful for being told about it, all the same. Sigh.
Next morning, City manager arrived about mid-morning. He was chewing out the supervisor of our team for not moving fast enough and complaining about the lack of preparation made by the store. Fair enough - it was in the contract - but only the one vp was allowed to work with us. Go talk to the store manager, since they are the only ones who can change that or call the head offices, as we are required to do to get the issue resolved. The other counters were very upset at the treatment of our supervisor and felt it was unjust. I stayed well back where I was working, having had the same treatment last January in the same situation. Since then, I haven't been assigned by the city manager directly to supervise because - I think - I took the city manager aside and told him I felt his lecture of my brand-new first day counters was inappropriate. We had already counted about 130 pallets the day previous, similar to what was accomplished the day before on this more recent assignment when the thefts were being discovered. Anything over 120 pallets counted in a day is considered good work, thank you very much. Oops, end of rant. It was obvious the vp was very troubled by the behaviour of our city manager. Sigh.
Had a couple of days off, then was back at the same chain store stockroom - different location again. There were only three of us counting to start. As it turned out though, the store manager had worked very hard to get all his merchandise out on the salesfloor before we had to count it. Meant that we were, statistically, far ahead of the game by the end of the day. The supervisor was obviously very relieved by that turn of events. Next morning was a grocery store that I rarely am assigned to. Very different requirements and style of counting. Took a while to get in the rhythm, but I guess we are allowed an off day once in a while - or not.
Next evening began a 24 hour shift - no breaks between one assignment and the next. Started at a pet store. The crew worked until 1:30 in the am, but one of us was required, by contract, to stay behind until all the variances were checked. Problem, of course, was that all 16 of us were scheduled for that next early morning count. I decided I might as well get paid for the entire night, rather than just getting a couple of hours sleep then having to be back at work again - so when the manager asked if I would be the designated counter, I agreed. We sat and chatted about the book I was reading - "The Travels of Marco Polo" and the one he was reading - the one on torture that I had asked him to read so that I could have a second opinion on what was really being presented. Not what it was promoted to be - that was certain. At the end of that shift, the manager ran a couple of quick errands then dropped me off for the next assignment I had. We arrived in the parking lot, just as the rest of the crew from the night before were pulling up. I certainly got a lot of sympathy anyway. The count that day went very late, so I left home at 7:22 pm one day only returning home from work the next evening at 6:39 pm. I slept until almost that late the next day and couldn't eat for about a week after. Those three or four overnight shifts running into the next morning's assignments finally really ticking off the body - it struck back with all the tricks at its command. Meant I missed the one assigned shift since then - the only one scheduled - because the body would not co-operate. Meant I also missed a family gathering with visiting cousins from Australia, a family wedding and a trip to a mosque with a friend I haven't had a chance to visit with in over a year - last time was that bus trip to Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump a year ago, remember? Sigh, too.
The positives were that A+ was there through all the ups and downs to support me, as was my youngest. A+ and I went out walking a few times during the marathon of work. I'll tell you about that next post. Went to the new Star Trek movie and then watched a lot of the old episodes to fill in some blanks where I was fuzzy on the details of the series. The new Kirk is amazingly like James Dean in appearance and behaviour, so I think the directors were doing some subliminal preparation of the boomers, at any rate. Oh, and Nero? To me he looked like a shadow Bono - no singing though. Too bad. In addition, I exchanged some family stories with a remote cousin who is also building an on-line family tree from one of the sides of my family - my Mom's cousins. Diverting anyway. But now I have another very eary shift tomorrow to prepare for so good night and sweet dreams - remind me to tell you of mine as well as the real time nightmare of the fisticuffs between the nasty landlord of next door and his tenants on May Day, next time dear diary. Good night.
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