Daniel...Close the Door

Last Update: April 11, 2011

Today was a busy day.  It seemed that the threat I had abased and things were looking better.  I could not have been more wrong!  After having cleaned about 12 cars and trucks today, it seemed that maybe, my boss was beginning to lighten up on me and I had just finished cleaning a Jetta Volkswagen.

It was just about time for me to leave for the day.  I put the car on the "ready" line and went inside to collect my day's pay.  My boss was with a customer but was very soon finished with him.

Out of the blue, "Daniel, close the door."

Uh Oh!  Now What!

He did not raise his voice at me like he has at times, but it was all the same.

  • "Why arn't you getting these cars cleaned in 15 or 20 minutes?"
  • "Why did you leave dirt on a tire?"
  • "Can't you see that we're picking up...and you're slowing down?"
  • "Oh, are you now going to go off and pout and moap around?"
  • "You are coming in here for four hours per day...why can't you give me some labor?"

It went on and on.  I had very little to say.  His wife evidently witnessed me not bearing down on the scrubbing brush (for car washing) but that I was just pushing it back and forth on the car.

Supposedly two customers complained about dirty cars.

"Give these things some thought."

You Know What's Wrong with Me?

I don't relish the idea of busting my ass to get four cars cleaned in an hour...so I get them done quicker and get sent home.

No.  I'm not milking this job.  It's not worth it to me to essentially get paid $2 (two) to clean a car.  It's bad enough I have to do this out of expediency.  For what I'm getting paid to do this job, there must be a little bit of leniency...just a little bit.  I get the cars that need to be cleaned done in the four hour period.  I think that's reasonable.  If there are fewer cars, then I do them and leave early.  It's been that way right along.

I've been honesty been trying to give this guy my best.  I work steady, come in on time...was late only one time due to the weather.  When I leave, I've filled the ready line with clean cars.

It's not good enough!

He wants me to bust my ass as fast as I can so he gets to pay me less for my labor.  Nothing new here, I know.  Many employers are like this.

Know What's REALLY Wrong with Me?

I have become educated in things that are not taught in our schools.  I have learned the true value and meaning of time.  I have delved too far into the dark side of employment (though it is good as a last resort.)

Despite the implications of employment, I've made it a point to give him what he looks for...or so I tried...and came woefully short.

My boss asks me what's wrong with me.  Think I could tell him any of this?  I'm speechless.  Twice now I've let the cat out of the bag and got fired both times...only to be rehired a short time later.

I have no choice now.  Well, yes, I do have choices here.  I'm facing a dilemma once again.

Do I stay...or do I go.

The good points about this job:

  • I raised the money I needed to make my membership one year at WA.  That's the main thing.  It is also helping me get other things I need to ramp up my business.
  • The job is very close by.  I could walk to it if I had to, though is about three miles away.
  • The hours I have to give up to employment are minimal...four hours per day in the morning...and then have the rest of the day off.
  • It's paying my rent and electricity.

The bad point...only one besides the obvious poor use of my time for the sake of expediency...

I have to go through these mind games and feel like I'm walking on eggs all the while I'm there.  The dread that comes from even the passing thought about that place has been getting into other parts of my life...my personal life.  I've even stopped going to church because it's interfering with my spiritual life.

This is certainly outweighing the good points above.  This cannot continue.

There's a cold front coming through sometime tonight.  I can hear the thunder way off.  It's closing in.  It's going to be a stormy night...and a sleepless one.  All I can do about it is think about the fair weather, cooler temperatures and very pleasant conditions that will follow...

The storm in my life must also break.  I have to reckon with this in the morning.  I know that the sun will shine again.

I think the one big downfall in this business relationship was my boss finding my website...and learning about how I REALLY feel about employment.  My boss believes that these feelings are reflected in my performance and that I'm too shallow to equate the difference between what I know about employment and good work ethics.  It isn't about employment or the labor involved here...it's the relationship between my boss, his wife...and I.

I've reached a dead end.  I can't go back there in the morning.

Thanking MARCUS for His Advice!

I have been very busy for a week now working on my local Internet marketing education in the P3 Marketing System.  Thanks to Jay I've begun my first campaign (but never finished due to having moved from Toledo back home to Florida)which I now have in a certain niche.  Thanks to Marcus, I've gone much, much farther into this new wide-open space!

I have noticed tonight that others getting into this niche had to work around mine due to my having grabbed up a great keyword, right after Jay's WABinar on local marketing back about six months ago, from which I've named the domain for that niche.

It's a new beginning for me!

My boss said, "Close the door."  Yes, I believe it's time to.  Today I was closed inside that door with him.  Tomorrow will most likely be a different story... I will be on the other side of that door...and I will have been the one, once again, to close it.

Despite the consequences that follow, I'm firing my boss!

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burntout Premium
Good luck to you Daniel. I hope you find better things.
pepper bagdad Premium
Daniel, I agree with the comment above, you can only take so much man. I hope your situation works out and I'm sorry to hear you have had to put up with so much disrespect from your boss. Best of luck to you Daniel. Keep your chin up.
Behealthy Premium
Thanks for posting that. All the best, and keep us posted.
Yes Josh, I have closed the door on that situation! What I'm left with now is all the opportunity that has recently opened up to me! Ironically, right before I called my boss (and got his wife instead) introduced myself and then proceeded to fire them. I'm sure she was aghast at what she had heard because she said, "What???" The enduring has paid off. I set myself up for success with that bullshit! Yes, even the darkest of storms are followed by sunshine!
muskyblood Premium
Daniel, it sounds like you have had to endure a lot of unprofessional behavior from your boss. I know that you are working there out of necessity, but there comes a time when enough is enough. It sounds like this might be the case for you. If you feel in your heart that walking is the best decision, then do it with pride, and your head up. Tell him you are off to greener pastures, thank him for the job, and be on your way. Nothing would leave a worse taste in his mouth than to see the guy he's been kicking around for months walk out on him, and do it with self pride. Best of luck my friend...
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