I Didn't Even Ask...

I didn't want to know.

I have a day off from (paid) work today.

I was afraid to ask if I was needed for something. If my boss had said he needed help, I know me. I would have shoved whatever was mine to do at home "to the back burner" and gone to work and helped him.

I appreciate my boss. He's good to work with me on scheduling and such. There's a whole lot of reasons why I appreciate him. And he's a REALLY HARD worker. Yesterday he was getting sick. He was not supposed to have to close last night but the one who was had to leave so-- when you're the one in charge, the work doesn't fall in someone else's lap just because you're sick.

So... I did ask, last night, if he'd like me to stay and help recover seasonal. (It was a disaster.)

He said yes.

He hates it when the store doesn't get recovered well. He was already feeling bad so I thought maybe it would make him feel a little better if he knew he wasn't leaving things in a mess... or wouldn't have to stay a lot longer in order for it not to be.

I had gone in early to get a headstart on my order-- I thought. As it turned out, after I left on Saturday things must have really got hectic, because my ad signs didn't even get pulled from last week. The first thing I do every Monday morning is to put up the new ad signs. There was a lot of stray merchandise that needed to be put out. My department also needed some recovery, even though I had done it well before I left at 4:30.

We never have as many people "on the floor" in the evenings as we do during the day. Those few not only have to get out all the returns and strays, they have to recover, AND are called for backup as cashiers to the front. At a time like this, when things get really busy and SO MANY people are there to "leave a trail," it's hard to get everything done.

It took me until after 3 to finish my order. I had tried to straighten as I went, but working retail is like picking up after a houseful of messy kids all day long. They take things out and don't put them away. They strow and mess up and leave it all for someone else. Even if they put back, they don't put it where it goes. (See why I say a houseful of messy kids.)

Since this is the norm, when anything departs from it, it can make quite an impression. I had one little guy, probably about six years old, who actually took the time while his mom shopped to STRAIGHTEN my ribbon racks. He put everything in the proper order, stood all the ribbon up like it was supposed to be, and BLESSED ME greatly that day.... so much so that I still remember his good deed.

Anyway, I worked ALL DAY yesterday and I plan to WORK ALL DAY today as well, but this time I'm going to do it away from HL. I have sales tax to do. I have housework to do. And I'm going to babysit this afternoon.

I actually slept until seven o'clock this morning! I got EIGHT hours of sleep!!
Woo-hoo.