When the stars want to bend, they'll bend.

Not feeling very whimsical. Visas are expensive and so is my lifestyle.

We hired this ... well, the first word that comes to mind is "girl" followed by "lady". She is 29 years old. But has the social capabilities of a teenager... very socially awkward.

I think she has been working for three weeks, perhaps less. Like with all jobs there's always a lot more going on then what you originally imagine. I just figured this job would be putting away shoes and dealing with a few customers... but no. It's so much more.

Well. She has been avoiding learning how to do the 'rack plan', which is the plan one uses to order the shoes on the racks. Because each section (womens, kids, mens), is different, it can be confusing. In my experience, jumping in and doing it is the best way to go. No one taught me. They handed me the paper that had the plan and said "Do this." while Dionne and Amber kept telling me it was confusing, they didn't really get it, they just tried to make it look pretty.

Needless to say I've had so much practice (a lot of it frantic and last minute), that I don't even need to look at the paper. The occasional glance to make sure I'm getting it in the right order, but otherwise it's just... so simple. Tedious. Pretty boring. Makes your back hurt for sure. But easy. I can start from the left, right, or middle, and it always turns out the way I want it to, without topstock.

I like to think it's because I'm not a total retard...

Well, the first time you do it it is confusing and takes sooo long because you aren't used to it. I had to re-organize the men's shoes Thursday. Size 5 to 15. That isn't fun. Men's shoes are heavy. Then today, because Dionne completely fuckered up the women's and kid's shoes, I had to organize women's smaller sizes. Then I did the kid's shoes correctly and fixed it so it wasn't filled with gaping holes everywhere.

I gave April the rack plan and said "which section do you want?" and she chose women's 8 1/2. I asked her if she was sure... 8 1/2 is pretty messy. Suggested that 6 might be better but no. She wanted to do 8 1/2. So I said, "Ok I have to finish the kid's but if you need help, yell."

She asked a few questions. Then I walk over and I said "It looks really good but we have to shift up. When you get to the last box of shoes, you're just going to be left with this big gaping hole right there..." well, I honestly didn't feel like I was being mean, but I look at her and she's holding her face with tears in her eyes.

She goes "I've got to go" and suddenly left. Was just gone. I called Glenn and I was kinda like, "What do I do..." and he didn't really know. After we hung up she came back in about 10 minutes, looking calmer, and said, "Sorry I just got really frustrated."

So, I sat with her to do 8 1/2 and was trying to explain to her that it wasn't hard. She was going backwards and she should try doing it left to right to start.

I went really slow to show her how I fixed the shoes but she didn't really get it... but by then we were about to close, so I told her not to worry about it. Then she said, "I don't think I'm cut out for selling shoes. I'm going to look for another job." and I said, "Weeelll if you feel that way, okay."

Aside of that she is kind of okay with customers... she is very bad at retail in general in my opinion. She slipped two twenties under the register. Like under it, to the point that it was lost for weeks. Which goes on me because I count the money. And if 20 dollars even comes up short twice it looks suspicious! But we found them. And I told her if you have money that's going into the till you put it in your left hand... and always give customers money with your right. That way you never mix it up.

I just feel like she has been riding the coattails of society for most of her life so retail seems a little... I don't know, difficult. So I don't think this is working out for her either. She is nice but she is weird. Some of the stuff she will say in confidence it is kind of like... you know, I don't really want to know that when you were 15 you got drunked, passed out, and then woke up to some old black guy cumming into your mouth. I don't want to know that you've sucked off cops for favors or whatever. But there is sympathy there - I wish she would tough it out and maybe change for the better a bit. Stop smoking! (her laugh is pretty horrible... I hate being funny around her because her laugh makes me cringe a little because of how much she smokes. so it's like a cough...). Dress nicely. Do her hair. Wear some makeup.

That being said, Dionne has decided she can no longer work Saturdays because she has to drive to Texas every weekend to party. I got made and said to Glenn that he needed to fire her ass. She works 6 hours a week, often gets people to take her shifts for her, never makes up the shifts, takes a 30 minute lunch, and always takes personal calls at work. Not to mention she puts shoes away wrong and she made me waste almost 2 hours fixing her fucking mistakes she should have gotten right the first time.

It is getting to that point where it is like... I am not getting paid enough for all the work I put in, but I don't want to give up because we're on the uphill climb at the moment. I can stick with it and be dedicated, it is only for a few more months anyway...

happier updates to ensue