Back to Normal

December 6, 2010: Back to Normal

I could not stand working in the other store anymore so I requested my hours there be switched back to my own store.  They had no choice but to comply and today I am back working with my work family. 

I came back to utter chaos.  Nobody had taken the time to realize that two of the three full time employees were on vacation during this week so the department was extremely shorthanded.  The shelves were empty and the department was backed up with stock.  My boss wanted me to work as many hours as necessary to get the place back to normal with him.  We each put in a solid fifteen hours to try to get the department not only set up, but set up for the holiday season. 

It took a lot of effort, but the department was filled with all our usual goods.  We had another kink in the day when the night crew worker called out sick.  We had to complete that job along with setting up the holiday displays.  That job took a couple hours, but we were able to complete it.

Next came getting on to the turkey trailer and grabbing the holiday product.  Going on to the dock where the turkey trailer is is the absolute most disgusting place one could ever want to be.  There are several large, brown industrial sized barrels full of meat waste: rotting meat sitting unrefrigerated.  It is such a wretched smell.  It is absolutely atrocious.  The goal was to rush through getting the product and get it back to the department before we passed out from the smell.  Goal accomplished.

We set up several tables in the department: four Christmas displays and 1 Hannukah display.  The Hanukkah display was put at the end of the Kosher aisle.  The four Christmas tables were set up at both store entrances and two tables in the department. 

On the tables were: Do it Yourself Gingerbread Houses, frosted sugar cookies, fancy cookie baskets, and several holiday items that we in the bakery had created such as pull apart cupcake designs in the shape of snowflakes, Santa hats, candles, and stockings. 

Things were finally all set up.

Until Next Time,

Stay Sweet,

Lil' Buddy