Last Wednesday my boss told me she thinks internal theft is a big issue within my store (without any substantial evidence to support her claim) and instructed me to drive back to the store at closing each night to watch my employees as they leave and see if they're taking anything.
On Thursday she suggested I split up my shifts so that I'm in the store EVERY DAY when each employee clocks in or out so I can conduct a bag check to see what they're stealing.
On Friday my boss instructed me to fire an employee who has been with the company for ten years, simply "to get new faces" in the store.
Yesterday I quit my job. I haven't left the bookstore, but I stepped down as manager. I've never wanted a job that was a lifestyle, I hated that I was always on call and, on a basic level, I disagree wholeheartedly with the business philosophy at play. When I was hired I was working for a small, local, independent bookstore, and what it's become is a corporate Borders wannabe that demands the moon from their employees while only providing them with a six foot ladder.
I'm going back to being a regular bookseller. I'll be able to leave work at work. I'm taking a $4/hr pay cut in exchange for an immeasurable increase in my quality of life. I'm coming up on the one year anniversary of my suicide attempt, and by the two-year mark I'll have released an album and toured with my band.
I also just got my tax refund, I have all my accumulated debts paid down to under $5,000, and I plan to pay off the remainder by the end of this year.
Today's a good day.
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