#444

This job is going to work out great. It's right down the street from my Mother-in-law's house. I can drop the kid off and Bob can pick him up when he get's off of work. Or whatever we need...anyways we really need the money. Our property taxes just went up, though I don't know why, I feel like we're getting scammed. Which means our mortgage is going up since we have everything escrowed.
If I can make this job work, we might be able to actually buy groceries this month instead of going to the food pantry. It's not like Bob doesn't make enough, his income is 60 thousand a year. But the bills are crazy. Cell phones, internet, privatized water...we need to cut something. Maybe my gym membership, even though it's the only thing keeping me sane, and I still get a student discount, so I'm basically using the daycare center for free.

"Bye Ma, love you, thanks for watching Tommy." I yodel my farewell as I scoot out the front door. She talks way too much, better keep it short and sweet. "Good luck!" She sings. "... and if you don't like it you don't have to..." I close the door before she can finish her thought. I really don't care if I don't like it, we need the money. I roll my window down and quickly light up a cigarette. Hey, I kind of feel like a normal person, on their way to work and all. I haven't felt like this for two years, since I decided to resign from my job at the Tollway. I knew it was time for me to quit, that was never my forever job. But I didn't realise how much my life revolved around the routine of going to and coming home from work. Until I didn't have that work in my life any longer.

A couple of lights and a left turn. This place is closer than I thought. I scan the lot for an open parking spot. The only place left has a light pole conveniently placed and the end of the parking spot. I'll be sure to forget about that when I'm leaving. I have a tiny car, and about three minutes to get inside, so I swing into the doomed slot and lock my car up. "Just drive slow tonight." I tell myself. As I pull the door open, I put on my "learning face". You know, the face you put on when you don't want to show too much emotion or personality, but you don't want to look uninterested or disengaged. "Hi." I greet the girl I have seen a couple times while applying. "Hello." She says, "How can I help you?"
"I'm supposed to start working here today." I say, wondering if anyone informed her someone was coming in to train today. "Oh." She said quietly. She took a beat to look around the disheveled office. Her desk seemed like the only organized piece of property in sight. "Why don't you have a seat out there while I call Laura. Her and Bill didn't show up today, so we're kinda winging it right now." Another girl's face popped up from behind a computer in the back office.

Great. Here we go. Unreliable bosses without communication. "...and if you don't like it you don't have to..." My Mother-in-law's advice rang in my head. Damnit, I hate it when she is right.


To Be Continued...