November 26, 2007

He Made My Day



Landscapes: Central Valley moonscape. Photos from the train are usually G’s as my camera doesn’t have image stabilization but some are mine. Central Valley, California, 2007.




When I got to work yesterday, I was greeted from all sides by the cry, “Where were you.” Variations of that included, “They tried calling your house, and there was no answer,” and “We missed you,” to, “We were all very worried about you,” “Is your husband ok.” I was still answering questions a good hour after the start of the game.

My careful preparations for missing one Charger game came to naught. It was as if I had not called Scheduling, twice, to tell them I would not be at that Chargers game. I took names, twice. They wouldn’t give me a cancellation number because I was not actually in the schedule for the game. When I did not show up for work, there was a huge outcry because I never miss work. I spent most of the morning explaining that I had called in, twice, and that I’d gone to Seattle by train. Repeat. Repeat. And Repeat.

I talked to the office head. I talked with two management persons I admire, and eventually got a chance to chat with the new head of Scheduling. He didn’t want an email about it. He’d take care of it.

The rest of the day was a gift from the gods.

My job position calls for one supervisor and one event staff. I need someone who I can train to do my job, and someone who won’t act like a spoiled brat when I tell them they won’t get to see the game. I don’t work well with druggies or drunks struggling in the end stages of their disease and hangovers either. I’m willing to train anyone who wants to work….the bottom line. It does get tiring to train someone over and over again then never see them again. Three games ago, I found the secret.

I’ve a new technique that gets me a better than average employee for my ramp. My problem is compounded by the fact that the usual event staff hire is not the sharpest branches on the tree, and the one I pick must be trained to do my job. After the supervisors meeting, I quickly leap into the large standing crowd of guards who are all looking to be picked up for positions and look for the few blue jacketed event staff. If they are standing around in our area, this means that they have been hired to work for us but their guard cards haven’t cleared the state Security Guard screening yet. I know this trick won’t work every time, but the last two tries have gotten me two “A,” top quality, intelligent and articulate employees.

This time I won the lottery.

Not only was this one intelligent and well spoken, he started off on my right side by asking pertinent questions, learning the job at light speed, and answering my questions too. He’s a guidance counselor at a local high school, a graduate of Howard University, and did his post graduate work at UCSD. Several of his students stopped by to have a word with him, and another teacher, the ROTC guy, and he had a moment of good ol’ boy stuff with him. He was what he said he was. Best of all, he was trainable and wants to work part time during the school year to earn extra funds.

He made my day.



Duck: One of his cousins called, and not only did he remember his cousin, but he remembered his parents and their names. He was much his old self this day. With humor, G reports.

Me: Considering baseball for next year. How tired do I want to be at the end of each day. Write, talk with Bee, lunch, shelving at the Library, shop for dinner, meet G, visit Duck, dinner, read.

G: Dropped me off. Walked swapmeet and found it depressing. Lunch, Duck, meeting, computers, picked me up, dinner out for Mexican in Old Town.

1 comment:

  1. Mage, don't you love it when you figure out something smart like your pre-selection strategy? I've figured out a few of those for parents traveling with children. Maybe I'll write a post about it sometime.

    ReplyDelete

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