As The Station Turns 9/27-28

 My great "Five days off" continues with my covering the graveyard shift. And I'm starting to explore a side hustle that will fill in the financial gaps when I quit. Vote Democratic and save Social Security.

The Late Guy, who just happened to be covering my shift before I got stuck doing the graveyard, actually did some stuff today, the ice in the soda machine and....well that was it. I had to start the night dumping the trash again, and bagging ice again, and taking care of the restroom, again. For a guy who constantly complains about how the people at the Haunted Station leave the place he sure doesn't make sure things are done while he's on the shift. And it was really slow so he had the time, but I guess he'd have to put his phone down for 20 minutes. 

I figured I would get the same cash drawer I counted out the night before, since Mrs. Late Guy worked the morning shift I figured the Late Guy would use her drawer and I wouldn't have to count in for my shift. Except when Late Guy came in he automatically counted in the available drawer and I got Mrs. Late Guy's drawer. The good news is the miscreant had mixed in a lot of secret message bills the night before and figured they wouldn't be able to do it again, except all those bills would be in Bigfoot's drawer and the miscreant could mix in new marked bills into the second drawer. 

Bigfoot was late but I didn't care, it meant I could get some stuff done without him getting in the way. He's a lot like the Doofus, just minus the drunken stuff. He wandered off all night, I timed him and he took two and a half hours to mop the floor, a 20 minute job by the way. He also tried to mop whenever people were in the building just so he could scowl at them. And I figured out he isn't just mumbling, he's narrating his life. And he likes conspiracy podcasts did you know there is another planet that is about to destroy the Earth? I'm glad I don't have to work with him on a regular basis.

The Boss called. He asked if I would cover the Friday afternoon shift, normally my other day off. It seems the Graveyard Shift Guy is going to be off again. Now I have to wonder, is he on vacation or on a permanent vacation? The Boss also talked to Bigfoot about his days off at his other job. Hmmm.... Anyhow I went from having 5 days off to having to work 6 days in a row. Come Wednesday, when the Boss comes in to do his paperwork, he better not try to be all chummy with me because I' super pissed about the whole situation. Seriously, the Democrats win big in November, save Social Security and I find a side gig that will fill in the financial gap and I'm out of this crap job.

I was stocking the sandwiches in the cooler and I looked at a pack of American cheese, and it wasn't yellow, it was white. I checked the date and it expired in February! Where has this stuff been hidden all this time? I wrote it off, went out back and unwrapping the individual slices and tossed it by the dumpster so the crows could eat it in the morning. Plus I needed the break so I took my time.

Since I'm working with someone I decided to stock the freestanding coolers, the bottles are in the walk in cooler so I had to figure out where the empty spots are, go see if they are in the walk in and then carry them around and fill in the other coolers. And sure enough when I came out Bigfoot was gone. I think he took an extended cigarette break. 

The slushie machines are suppose to go into a defrost mode every day, except it wasn't cycling. Perhaps this is why the other one broke down. So I went through the menu and turned the defrost cycle back on. I'm not going to say anything because every time I fix a problem I get in trouble somehow. 

I checked the restroom out and there is a lot of tape on the mens room toilet. That thing is just about to split in half. Hopefully it happens on my two days off. It's actually a simple repair but who is going to do it? Not me because I'm pissed off.

On Monday morning at 2 AM the computer system cycles and processes all the information. It shuts down and then reloads everything. Normally there is a crowd of people slowly picking stuff out as the system does the shut off countdown. Once it reaches zero they rush to the register and then bitch about having to wait. Thankfully nobody was in the building so when the warning came up I clicked on the "do it now" option and it came back up just before a customer came in, however the #7 pump went down and didn't come up by the time I left. Again, I actually have two days off so not my problem.

The ATM started making weird sounds. I had to go check in case it accidentally spit out some cash but no luck. Perhaps it does a system cycle on Monday morning too.

As I said Bigfoot took two plus hours to mop the floor. The funny part was he missed a spot. He took all that time, carefully mopped the entire floor, and there it was. I didn't get a chance to touch it up so I guess the Manager was going to have to clean it when she saw it. 

I saw a guy who looked like a 70's porn star complete with the permed hair, the fu manchu facial hair, the open shirt with the chain. I washed my hands after he left.

It was almost closing time and I wanted to do a few last minute things, check the trash, check the walk in cooler and one more check on the restrooms. Instead Bigfoot disappeared and I got customers. I had to wonder if he went home but it turns out he was outside chatting with a guy for a long time. No wonder the Boss is always complaining about these people. I did manage to get the trash done but the Manager could complain about the rest.

It was almost time for the Manager to come in and Bigfoot started counting down his drawer, but he didn't finish. What the heck dude, close it so she can count it in when she shows up. I saw her pull on the lot so I quickly yanked my drawer and started counting it down so she could do a day closing before she opened. He finally counted down his drawer but she was pissed that she had to wait for him. I got out and left, on the way out the door I told her that I was going to accidentally put my phone in Airplane Mode so if the Boss was going to try to get hold of me that would be why I wasn't answering.

I came home and went to bed. Around 11 AM I heard my phone ringing but it was on the last ring and they hung up. I had to wonder if the Boss was trying to get hold of me to say he needed me to cover the graveyard shift tonight. Anyhow when I got up later it turned out it was my brother, he want's to get together tomorrow for a meal. I sent him a text but he never replied. I get the feeling he's going to contact me at the last minute, or not at all. I need to do stuff tomorrow but now I'm once again in a holding patter because of someone else. Seriously, I need a side gig and get the hell out of this situation.