You are 16 years old. The age of first time employment. So independent. So fun.
Until. Someone with your same last name makes some big mistakes. Money mistakes.
And. Unknown by you. It’s your name that gets marked. As in strikes against your work ethics.
Over time. Not too much time, though. You get called into the manager’s office. Told your register was under the receipt amount. How can that be? you wonder aloud.
But you assume he doesn’t care. Or just doesn’t want to listen to your excuses. (Which aren’t even excuses. just facts).
But.
Because.
You have so many demerits next to your name, the assumption is you are not a good employee at all. So you’re fired.
Later. Months later. The person with your same last name mentions that you got in trouble because of her. But she neglected to say anything because she needed the job. Even though you did too.
You will forever believe that it was another employee who, for whatever reason, sabotaged you. By stealing cash from your work station that particular night. Let you take the blame and lose your money making employment.
And to this day. Whenever you think of your first job.
Other than the memories of eating a fish filet on your break, greeting customers who went to school with you, and having a crush on the nice, young manager (not the one who fired you), all you recall is being told to turn in your greasy uniform. And don’t come back.
Then you smile, because you really don’t care. And probably never did.
BonaFideAffairs 
bad experience – good outlook on your part!
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yes, amy, bad… i think my outlook worked itself out over time… i wasn’t so happy about the situation back then, yet i didn’t speak up for myself and demand to see the demerits…. ah, well… i’ve definitely learned a lot over the years….
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That would be horrible!
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i was embarrassed more than anything…
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Amazing how our early experiences linger with us long afterwards.
Visiting from GBE 2: Blog On group.
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yes linda… the thing is i still live near that mcdonalds, so i am reminded regularly…
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But I would care. Forever it would bother me.
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i did care, and i was mad… but my insecurities held me back from doing anything about it….. 😦
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I can not imagine having something like that happen. I think it would bother me somewhat and then like you said, “I don’t really care.” A part of me would always care though. I liked my first job–well the people anyway–just didn’t like busing tables–so I applied and went into retail for the duration of high school. Some people wouldn’t want retail..I really enjoyed it for a short time–then went to college. That’s when I had some not so fun experiences with employment. LOL. Cheers, Jenn
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i can say i don’t care now, jenn….. it’s easy to reflect about how unimportant that job really was…. but the situation helped me grow up just a bit, i suppose…..
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