The Highs and Lows

Yesterday was faboulous. The crew’s progressed exceeded my expectations. In conversations prior to yesterday, I would state that the crew lacked motivation and that they are only 17 and this is most likely their first job and they don’t know what is expected of them. On Monday I was pleased beyond belief and I expected the earlier problems to be gone. Let me just stress how pleased with them I was before I move on, I was pleased. Clearly trail isn’t easy and they seemed to be actually motivated to do it.

But today the events changed, tables turned and tears were shed. My ego was bruised and my heart saddened. It started bright and early with a talk with the boss. The events of the coming month were noted followed by the lines “don’t take this personally, it’s most likely retaliation but…”

Apparently the mother of Lazy Urban Boy got annoyed that both my boss and I complained about her son’s progress, or more so lack of progress. His foot hurt Friday and even before the workday started I was tired of hearing about his pain. I was supportive but when I saw him walking fine, his sore foot excuse took little note in my books. It also annoyed the hell out of my boss and because LUB’s mom works with him he let her know.

I don’t know what she has to retaliate for. “Hello L, he’s your son, it’s not my F-ing fault he’s lazy!!” So in retaliation, she asked my four kids if I was a bad/ fast driver. They all said yes, truth or forced, I’m not sure. He said be careful and with the car it’s easy to drive faster but be careful. He said not to take it personally and that she might just be trying to find fault. Stab one, I sucked it up but it crossed my mind all day. Maybe I am a bad driver, but am I bad enough that all four found it necessary to complain about it?

Stab two came later that day. We finished at the site earlier and arrived at the office with an hour left on the clock. I walked to the office to greet my boss and get further direction. Explained, but he follows me out the door and I knew something was up. “There more,” he says and he proceeds re-explaining the guidelines that I need to enforce. “Make sure they get their breaks on time.” And my mind is gone, my jaw locks from frustration, and I knew at that moment my shades were doing more then just protecting my eyes from the sun. They were also hiding my tear soaked eyes from my boss’s. Those kids take more breaks during the day then they do actual work. And I turn a blind eye to it, 15 minutes turns into 25 and I show no concern. They push all my buttons and I fall for them and then they go home and tell mommy and daddy that they didn’t get their full break.

“That’s bull shit,” I tell my boss. Really? They don’t think they get enough breaks? “That’s bull shit,” I say again cutting my boss off with his justification and his ‘just be careful with breaks speech.’ Seriously, that is their complaints. “That’s it,” I announce, “they are getting strick breaks, no more pushing the limits.” They messed with me at the wrong time of the month.

And so I’m lost. I feel betrayed, cheated, used and incompetent. Even though it seems that I was making friends with the ladies in the office, that’s gone now. I don’t know who said what, or who’s on who’s side. But what is clear, is that I’m the wrong one. And that what I do, there will always be a complaint. I can take the fact that I’m a bad driver, but it’s the lies that piss me off.
That’s it. I really need to put this out of my mind. 15 minutes to midnight and something’s gotta give. Thanks for reading my rant.