It's a wonder that I haven't been fired, really. Since I got out of school at the end of January, I went out every weekend to several job interviews at a time. No one was hiring inexperienced teenagers without a high school diploma. And those that were willing, had hundreds of applicants to choose from. So getting what I did was nearly a miracle.

But I swear, keeping this job will be something else altogether.

The first day was orientation, we watched some videos with laughable production values, talked to our new co-workers, got our bearings around the store, and received our schedules. I was supposed to come five days later at seven a.m.

The store is brand new and very understaffed, so I understand the need to change the schedule around to accomodate the high volume of traffic the store receives. But I'd like it if someone told me about it in advance.

So I decide to head out early on that day I had to come in, because I figured they would like it if I showed a little initiative. So, it's six-thirty by the time I stroll through the door and before I have chance to say good morning, my co-worker Sandy says very snidely through the gap in her front teeth "You're late."

Apparently, they were so understaffed that I had to come in an hour earlier and leave two hours later. No one told me though. I had to come in at six a.m. every day after that for a week. Worse yet, since this was a new store, all the corporate people were there directing people and overseeing all of the operations.

But this next one was completely my fault. That day was incredibly busy, in one day I had to learn the ins and outs of the register, the lottery machine, and the two ovens. I also learned how to make sandwiches at breakneck speed, use the deli slicer quickly and efficiently, and fix the boss's fax machine. While learning all that I sweeped the floor, rinsed the coffee pots and refilled the coffee, baked the muffins, mopped the floor, restocked the shelves, faced the store, made the salads, threw out the garbage, and washed an unbelievable amount of dishes. Whenever I heard the bell at the front I had to stop what I was doing and attend the customer, because you know, the customer first.

I clocked in at seven a.m., and thirteen hours later I was struggling up the stairs to my house. I took out my keys and was annoyed at my inability to open the front door. When I looked down, I was horrified to learn that the key I was holding in my hand was meant to open the room in the back where the garbage was thrown out. I honestly can't remember when I was so terrified.

The looks on their faces when I walked in the next day, I'll never forget it.

Remember when I said that the schedule is constantly be reworked? Well, because of that I missed an entire day of work. I was supposed to come in three days ago Monday, but it was my understanding that my week didn't start until Tuesday.

Heh heh, I'm so inept.

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