I just don’t understand some people. Well, I don’t understand a lot of people. If you hate what you are doing, then do something about it.
I have a story I need to share. I thought I was being “punk’d.” If you don’t know what that means, there was a television show where the producers perpetrate a situation aimed at a person that is quite bad. Then, when the person who is being “punk’d” finally gets really upset, they come running out and say basically, “just kidding.” Then they either laugh or get even more upset. Well, the following story is true, even though it seems unbelievable.
I became a grandparent for the first time on Sunday night. If you are my friend on Facebook, you already know because I have told the world.
After a long day at the hospital, the new parents and baby were getting settled. Those of us who were waiting went to grab a bite to eat.
After we ate, I texted my son and asked them what they wanted us to bring them. They wanted Wendy’s. So he texted me his order and off we went.
When we arrived at 9:30 p.m., the line in the drive-thru was around the building. I looked inside and decided to park, while I went inside. What I found was about four people ahead of me — three waiting for their food and one waiting to order.
All I could hear was all of the employees fighting. They were yelling back and forth.
I got up to the counter to order and the sweet lady taking my order said, “Welcome to Wendy’s. If you don’t mind waiting go ahead and order. If you want your food before 30 minutes, you might as well turn around and go somewhere else.”
I could not believe she would say something like this.
I said, “Look, I have been up since 1:30 a.m. and all I need to two combos so I can feed my kids that are new parents. They are starving and I don’t have many choices.”
She said, “Oh. Good luck with that.”
One this nice young lady took my order, another employee walked by and began yelling what she was not going to do. She was hired for one job and she was not going out of her way to help any of them.
I was thinking about how crazy this situation was. The “yeller” started yelling some more, and I finally had to say something.
When I am overtired, I don’t have a good filter on my mouth. I said very loudly, “Thank you, Jesus, I have a job.” She gave me a look that wasn’t very nice.
At this moment, the manager called my name. Finally I was going to get my food, or so I thought. After all, I had been standing there for 15 minutes. I was wrong.
The manager called me up to the counter to ask me how to make a “S’awesome burger.”
I asked, “Excuse me?”
She said, “I don’t know how to make that burger so if you want it, tell me how to make it.”
I am still in a daze thinking, “Did I just hear what I thought I heard?”
I said, “Ma’am, I don’t know how to make it. I don’t eat here and haven’t for a very long time. This is for my son.”
“Well, tell me something else and I will tell you if you can have it or not,” the manager replied.
I thought you had to know all aspects of your business to be the manager.
The poor girl up front was taking orders, bagging up meals, and making fries and nuggets. The rest were standing around.
So I had to ask, “Why isn’t anyone helping out?”
She said, “It is not their job. They only get trained for one job that is it.”
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make a burger. So, I invented my own burger and asked the manager to make it, and put that special sauce it as well. Finally, I got some food for my kids and left.
The moral of the story is this. When you are hired to work somewhere, it doesn’t matter if your defined duties are for just one job. If someone in the company needs help, jump in and help. That is the normal thing to do.
There are two advantages to this. One, it helps your fellow worker out and gets the job done. Two, it proves you can step up when needed, and can maybe move up in the company.
In my family and community, were taught to work hard for whomever, regardless of job title.
Doing things like is about taking personal responsibility. It’s about going some place in life.
Who wants to live life hard and not happy? You should always strive to better yourself.
If you are miserable, get you a job you love, or work hard where you are until you find something better.
Go to school to train in something you love. Life is hard and it is even harder when you don’t work well with others.
Tina Specht is co-publisher of the Minden Press-Herald. She shares her thoughts and recipes each Thursday.