Perpetual Ruminations

Thursday

Two days off in a row with my wife, what a wonderful idea. It was all scheduled, since we finally have a full crew again. The last time we had two days off together, or just two days off, was back in April. All summer, I have only had a couple of days off in total.

Tuesday, I went in to work to talk to both the afternoon and evening guard, pick up some paperwork, and drop off a jacket. I specifically told them both that I was planning on enjoying the next two days off and did not want to be interrupted for anything. Wouldn't you know, not even all the way through the first day, and the phone is ringing. Both of them calling to let me know they can't make it in the next day.

One was for a sick child, the other was sick himself. Alright, maybe, but as it comes out, the sick child could not be taken to the doctor by his dad, because dad was going to be gone all day. This brings a question to mind, who was going to watch the child while mom was at work?

She informed me she cannot afford daycare, but her boyfriend, the child's dad, watches him. So, if the dad was going to be gone all day, as she said, she would not have a baby-sitter, and would not be able to work whether the child was sick or not. But, she did not say anything about not having a baby-sitter, just that the child was sick. Smells kind of funny, doesn't it? Especially since a week ago, she told me she had thought about calling in and taking the day off for the same reason, but wasn't sure if she could make the time up or not.

I explained to her then, that she could do that, if it was an emergency and she arranged for someone else to switch with her, then call me and get it approved. Instead, she called to get the day off and then have me take time away from someone else so she could make it up. It did not work, and she was asked why the dad could not take the child in, or schedule it before your shift, since you don't work till eleven. She called today, she didn't need the day off.

The other person who called last night was sick. He said that on Tuesday, but he decided to tough it out. I have very little compassion for someone who can't work because they are sick, unless they are very sick. It's not difficult work, and why miss out on a day's pay to sit at home and be miserable, when you can sit at work and be miserable and get paid for it? Like I said, if someone is very sick, unable to work, that's different.

I don't know how sick he was, or is. He was giving the option of taking the night off if he is too sick, not much I can do about that. He had called last night and asked for today off to rest up. But, he also works tomorrow and then has the weekend off. Was he planning on taking both days off? He didn't say anything about it, just today, to rest up.

So, the option was given, if he was too sick to work, his shift would be covered. If, however, he felt he could make it the night, he could take tomorrow off to rest up, and that would give him three days off in a row. Now, if he was real sick, he would have likely said that he just couldn't work tonight. Instead, he went in tonight and is going to take tomorrow off. Must not have been too sick after all.

It's not that I'm a total hard-ass. In fact, it's just the opposite, I tend to go too easy on my crew. But, this is a whole new crew, and this is the first time they have covered all the shifts without me around. I suspect they are nervous and unsure, and just looking for someone to come in and make sure things are going right. It did not work, they survived and hopefully this is the end of the problem.

If not, and they continue to interfere with my days off, then it will be time to be a real hard-ass~