Closet Extremist

I might be (slightly) unethical.

But I'm not sure. You see, I blatantly break company policy every time the opportunity crops up. There is a sign in the breakroom that says I shouldn't do it at any time, but do I listen? Noooo.

I live in the "Raised Pinky" part of Knoxville. It used to be called Concorde before Urban Sprawl swallowed the community, and the city annexed it. There's a lot of the "old money" out this side of town, so I run into a lot of people with more money than sense. I like that trait in them, as it keeps me in a job.

The retailer that I work for is a major national chain, with quite a few locations, but the one I'm at is the closest one to where these folks live. Therefore, I get the honor and privilage of loading mulch, potting soil, top soil, play sand, landscaping stones, and pavers into the back of a lot of Mercedes Benz's, and Lincoln SUV's.

This service that I perform is part of my job, and is nothing special, but there is a certain percentage of my clientele that decides that I deserve a gratuity for doing my job. Even though the sign says not to, I invariably receive those offerings with a heart-felt "Thank You."

You all (probably) know that the retail bidness isn't exactly what you would call a "High Paying Industry." I'm not exactly destitute, but it wouldn't take very much to get me there, so anything that folks want to hand over to me, I'll take it.

Maybe it's a little unethical (not to mention against Company policy), but without it, there'd be days that I couldn't go to the bar to let off steam. I go every other week, and more if the funds allow. Without these little excursions, I'm sure I'd wind up on a roof with a magnum before too long.

Remember to Tip out there people. "Guns don't kill people, Disgruntled retail workers kill people."

Posted by Johnny - Oh at May 3, 2004 08:19 PM