“There are no mistakes, only lessons.”
2020 was about no toxic people, petty games or pushing buttons. Healthy people, clean sportsmanship and positive contexts.
I drew a new line. I was going to take the good, and use the negative as fuel to my fire.
So, here is my account in processing my short work stint at a local coffee shop. I write to process because I prefer to process my emotions in a better way than most people (after running ofc). Names will be included because it’s anon site so who is gunna know. Also, it makes the entry clear for me.
“Your feedback is spineless.” This was the last word I had with the person who owns the business (Pete) when I went to visit to discuss my future hours in the rota for the next month.
Do you know what else is spineless and without a backbone? Worms. Slimy, slippery worms that lurk in the dark. Shrivel in sunlight, unnoticed in moonlight.
I got hired pronto because I required a job, money and a reason to leave the house, keep busy and meet new people. The place was looking for someone asap. It worked out. I thank the person who hired me (Calum) and specific team members who taught me new things. I am all about learning new things and that I did. I like to focus on what matters. And I also probably wouldn’t have been able to enjoy New Year’s Eve if I didn’t get hired there in the first place.
It was great for a few days but something didn’t seem right. Because on my first day, the person who was working next to the person I was (a French guy) told me his name was Kristoph/Christoph (however you spell it, I don’t really care at this point and it doesn’t really matter) and then another the next day – Jules. Jules decided his name was Jules on the third day. I tried to be civil with him because he did aid my training, but after that incident I always felt abit uneasy around him.
I made the error of straying from the sprightly dudd who was actually supposed to train me to gaining insight from someone who didn’t have a clue to training new people. I developed an attraction to Calum, and therefore had to master in managing problem in my new workplace without making things awkward for everyone and being professional, positive and focussed. I handled it my personal and professional issues like a boss imo by putting customers first and keeping contact only about work. (Soz mate, I wasn’t being rude. I had legitimate reasons, but happy to release the awkwardness outside of work if it was (past tense because I don’t work there anymore) mutual…) Anyway, it worked out fine.
I got better everyday, and my only area of improvement was mastering the coffee machine and knowing the products. Otherwise, I picked it up pretty quickly. I was always happy and confident in closing on my own but I was not presented the opportunity.
But things got weirder. On the last two days, I was working with a girl called Amanda. She apparently made the sandwhiches and worked part-time but was rota’d in for the full day. There was another person rota’d in for those two days but didn’t turn up. I noticed but I thought as a new employee it was not in my place to say that. I stuck to just working my hours and doing the jobs instructed until I knew all my roles and responsibilities before rocking the boat. I was there to work. I stuck with that.
Amanda was fine to work with, but she kept complaining of her chronic pain. I did 80% of the work over the 48 hours until Xmas Eve. I didn’t understand why she was doing a long day if she was working part-time. She kept wanting to close early. She told me one person who worked there called Hymie would be back on the 7th Jan – why was this relevant? But that was weird because Hymie told me he was in Columbia for 2 weeks after. She told me that there was a manager post advertised and that Callum had left on Friday but he was there on Saturday and Sunday and the only advert was for full-time baristas. So, it seemed upon this, there was no management and apparently, then the person doing the rota was the actual owner – Pete. She gave me his number so I could find out my hours after Xmas. By this point, things were odd as they didn’t add up.
There was also a “Ring Me :)” note left on the counter where staff worked. This was probably for someone else.
Anyway, I chilled over Xmas, as my intention was to get things fired up on Jan 1st each day at a time. On Boxing Day I handed my paperwork in to get paid to Pete in person at the shop. I wasn’t informed when I would get paid. Just ‘I’ll call you.’ Fine, but later on that day, I just left a text with a few unanswered questions. I wasn’t expecting a reply back but I received a call immediately after I sent it.
This was the call that changed the direction. I had heard staff members say things about Pete that weren’t positive but I experienced this first-hand on that occasion. He said a lot of garbage without any evidence, but I don’t argue with mules so I just let him bray. I kept my dignity and ended the call without saying anything. I genuinely didn’t think what he had said was justified. But I had never been spoken to like that in my life in a professional context but I realised because it was small business bad behaviour is allowed far more easily. If it was a bigger organisation, I would have complained and ideally, he’d have been in suspension meeting.
Things said in a verbal diarrhoea fashion: “You can’t make coffee”/”You burnt the milk three times”/”I want someone who runs around super fast”/”Smile”/”Not interested” – I mean, three words in my head “What. The. F***?”
Come New Year’s Eve, I hadn’t got paid. So, I had to chase this up. I wanted to go out and that I did. A major bucket list ticked off.
I thought I would deal with the hours on New Year’s Day. I was informed that someone else was doing the Jan rota called Chris because there was no management but he said he worked there last year. The thing is the solution to my problem was not presenting itself clearly. How difficult did this have to be? I like challenges but only ones where you actually achieve a worthwhile journey and goal. This journey was a mess.
I didn’t wanna be that employee that chased this up constantly but this was my bread and butter. It was important. So, I went in today. Spoke to Jess briefly who answered some of my burning questions. I told her about the convo I had with Pete and how I wanted to settle this today. She said he would be in at 5 to help the new staff member close.
I left and came back at 5. In my head, I had more reasons for leaving now than staying. Perhaps it may not be a good move, but I said this again, I am used to working in big organisations with grounded people.
He wasn’t there. The guy said I think you should come back tomorrow. I said I’ll wait. But then my gut kept saying “Where is your self-respect as a woman? Why do you keep coming back to this place when you could work somewhere else? Is it because it’s the one Tha you have right now and you have bills to pay so you’ll stick with it? There are healthier employers and positive working spaces elsewhere.” So, I left and got a coffee.
But I wanted to hear it from the horses mouth. So, I went back to be humane and discuss. I had an inkling he would have arrived. What I saw was laughable. So, much for assisting the new member but just standing on your phone and just watch him clean the coffee machine…
I knocked on the window. He came out, said three incorrect things once again: “That was week was your trial period.” Again, this was place weird AF. No, my trial period was the 2 hours period after that I was hired. “You don’t have a contract and so hours.” That paperwork I gave on Friday was my contract and I was hired for a full-time barista role. “We have moved on.” You can’t dismiss an employee like that and three things were running through my head “One, I’ve had a rough year last year and this year was 2020 healthy goals and people so two consequently, arguing back for this one was a battle I wanted to pick and three, I was going to keep my dignity and respect as a woman and walk away because he kept talking to me as if I wasn’t an employee but a friend. This was the most ridiculous argument and I wanted a good year and this was not worth it. Karma is real and it’ll bite him back somehow.”
Settled.
Time to look for another stop gap job.
One other thing: “We” is a very dangerous concept. We toxically enmeshes people’s wants and needs. People have individual wants and needs as well. A more intellectual approach than just individualism vs. collectivism is honouring individual wants and needs and collective wants and needs. A third but perhaps more strenuously complex concept to grasp for the average mind and in the context of this working environment the collective wants and needs of the organisation did not reflect one employee’s wants and needs simultaneously – something only real leaders can gauge. And thus, another reason why I walked away and kept my dignity.

What a drama-filled 24 days. I’m all about chill, confident and consistent times.

Now, I have some headspace (yeah things aren’t looking so great but I’ll figure it out) do I still have a crush on this dude called Calum? Yes. But he’s in Glasgow now I think. You were fit, a potential ONS. Have a good 2020.

“There are no mistakes, only lessons.”

Let’s keep riding to the top.