#were either coming out of MY PTO or were unpaid. and I didn’t even know until it was already halfway through the week.

[prorevenge]

You wanna take credit for my work? You wanna tell me you hope my family dies? Want to try to fight me for winning-out against your bullshit? Ok how's losing your ability to work in this city and a few years in jail as well as public humiliation?

We have to get a few details about me out of the way:

Backstory TLDR: Do not fuck with me. I'm blunt and stubborn. Also I'm better at my job than you will ever be so just get over that now. Also I hate my career field. I work in tech but I'm not going to be more specific than that.

A note on the stubborn-ness: I am the most stubborn, and blunt (rude if you push me) person you will ever meet. I expect everyone (Doubly so for management) to do the right thing even when no one is looking. One of the things I have learned is that narcissists and sociopaths cannot fucking stand me. They will actively melt down if they work with people like myself. Those people thrive when people have to 'be nice.' The exception to my stubborn bluntness? If you work under me. I help everyone working under me with everything they need 100% of the time and am super friendly unless they give me a reason not to be. I treat people under me (in terms of technical position and in the companies hierarchy) like royalty and the people beside and above me like "You should be at least as competent as myself, no excuses."

Example: If you lie about me/to me? Well I had better be getting an open, and public apology (to the people who you lied to) with admission of guilt or I'm going to make you fucking regret it. Best not be treating anyone else below you bad either. Lots of managers have a problem with this for some reason. Don't want this to happen? Don't lie.

Now with that said I have a constant wave of job opportunities. Every company I've ever worked for (including the one that fired me) begging to have me back at a higher pay rate than what I made when I worked there. Actually about 25% more than the highest pay in the country I live in. So I'm not in any position to care if someone is going to fire me.

Now thats out of the way, at my current job I've worked here for about 2.5 years. I took this job because it was going to allow me to have the time off I wanted: About 35 days of PTO, and 10 weeks (first 2 unpaid) of vacation time. Its a long story but basically I need the time off. I was hired in at about 50% of the standard rate of pay for this reason. Contractually I can take this time off any time I want. I could, if I so desired, leave work mid day and go on vacation.

When I first started the company laid off every other "IT Guy" after about a year aside from two. Those guys are mostly there to cover me leaving suddenly and if someone needs to pull something while I work on something else.

My previous manager actually recommended me to manage the department but I didn't want to take it so the company gave me an open door to take said position any time I wanted and they would just demote anyone in said position. This is where Sociopath comes in: To manage.

First day he pulls us all (My team + one more) into a meeting and talks about how hes a 'nice guy' but is going to drive us to work extra hard. This is where the first altercation occurs "Yeah how is that the case? [Other team] is purely reactionary and our team has literally no issues inside the company and 100% of our work is completed at nearly 3 times the rate of any other business in the area?" "We will hold questions for private meetings." "Ok fair enough."

He pulls me in and the first thing out of his mouth is to yell at me: "I never want you to question me ever again!" I was honestly stunned. "Excuse me?" "You will do what I say when I say! NOW GET OUT!"

He wraps up the 'meeting' by saying "I'm really glad to have gotten this job because I cannot leave this town due to the fact that I am obligated to watch my kids half of the year. So I can't wait to get to know all of you!"

I immediately went to HR as soon at the meeting was over and explained the situation. Thing is HR is the guy who hired me, and we like each other a lot. He tells me "Ok, well, unfortunately it would be against company policy to fire him this quickly. Also I have to take his side of the story first."

He didn't 'yell' at me after I went and spoke to HR but called me in and said "Listen, they are telling me to apologize to you and thats just not going to happen. I'm your boss its my right to treat you how I see fit. I didn't realize you were a rat, but now that I know that I'm afraid that I am going to be extra hard on you. Better do what I say or its your job!"

I replied "Its not your job to yell at people and maybe you should understand that. If you were half as competent as you want to seem I don't think you would ever have a reason to yell at anyone. Also if reporting behavior that is against company policy makes me a rat, then being a rat must be a good thing." He just yelled "GET THE FUCK OUT!" and pointed at the door. I replied "I'm afraid I'm going to have to go to HR again about your behavior if you don't apologize now." Which I did.

The issue? Well I live in a one party state for recording conversations. So I recorded said conversation.

Three weeks later and HR has decided to keep him on because we are still way ahead of everyone in terms of metrics. Since then my team and the other team has gone from loving their job to hating it. Everyone is reporting to me that he is screaming at them constantly but only in private. He doesn't even speak to me. The way he is treating the guys under me is what was really getting to me. They are HIS EMPLOYEES. He SHOULD NOT be treating them this way. I hate to use a quote from the office here but Micheal Scott is 100% correct: "A manager is not here to hire and fire, but to lead and inspire."

Now we are supposed to have certain metrics passed down to us by management but he has 'decided against that' to 'keep morale up.' However I knew what he was up to. So I went to my friend in HR and didn't tell him that he wasn't sending me the metrics (which he is required to do as per company policy) and had him send me a copy of everyone's metrics early "but keep it on the down low!"So he did.

For several months I told my team and the people under me "Just hold out on quitting he won't be here for long, trust me."

Slowly things between myself and him escalate. I make decisions that he doesn't like because "You didn't run that past me first." In reference to my vacations and days off. Contractually I don't have to do this and to be blunt I cant fucking stand him so hes just SOL when it comes to me not being there. This leads to several times of him trying to scream at me while I sat there and was 100% calm and patient but blunt and moving in my position that I can take leave when ever I want contractually and he is just going to have to get over that.

One of the things I specifically remember him yelling at me the last time: "You will do whatever I tell you when ever I tell you. If I throw a ball and say fetch you will fucking retrieve it. Do you understand?"

At this point I lost my patients and said "Are you done yet? Ok great you are going to listen to me now! You are hands down the worst manager I have ever worked under. You are unproductive, and the least competent. The other two guys metrics have been falling since you have been hired..."

Him: "Because your dumbass never listens to me. You are the problem here not me get out NNNNNNOOOOOOWWWW!"

Me: "Are you done? Because I think you are going to want to hear what I have to tell you! Your absolute childish behavior is unacceptable and I don't think that your supervisors or HR are going to appreciate how you have treated myself or this..."

At this point he gets up, grabs the chair in which I'm sitting, and literally rolls it towards his door screaming "I DON'T HAVE TO FUCKING LISTEN TO A DIP SHIT LIKE YOU! I'M THE BOSS DO WHAT YOU ARE TOLD!"

I replied: "I hope you know this can be considered assault and battery."

Him: "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" and he promptly rolls me out of the office.

Now here is the thing: Before that meeting I said I wanted an HR rep to sit out side of the office and listen in. They said they couldn't do that but would place one in the meeting. He was late. He over heard he last SHUT THE FUCK UP! Just as he rolls me out into the hall. He then proceeded to look up, see HR and start sweating bullets.

Him:"Oh...huhuh, I was... we were just joking around."

Looking up at him: "No we weren't. He was just screaming at me and insulting me for no apparent reason."

He looks down at me hard and says: "This team always jokes around! I mean it was just a joke!"

I then pull out a small recorder and looked at HR and said "Well given that you missed the meeting I think you should just review it here on this tape as this is "just a joke" apparently performance reviews are 'just a joke' around here now."

HR insists we go over the performance review. He pulls his copy out and begins going over the metrics on it talking about how bad of an employee I am. As soon as he finishes I look at the sheet of paper he is going over I pull the metrics that my buddy in HR sent me. "No...No I'm afraid this is all wrong."

He looks at me "I...I'm sorry."

Me: "Oh yeah, [buddy in HR] sent me my metrics independent of what you sent me. In fact, and I can't believe you didn't know this, all of the metrics are review-able by any employee at any time if they make an inquiry. Actually you have failed to send us any metrics at all as is your job to do weekly."

The HR rep then looks at me "Is that all?"

Me: "Yes."

HR Rep: "Ok I think we are done here."

He requests that I stay, I look at him and reply: "No, I'm afraid I'm done listening to anything you have to tell me. Afraid I have an appointment to review your behavior with HR."

So HR and myself review the tape and their jaws are on the floor. HR Buddy apologizes to me. They ask me what I think should happen as I was the one who was originally up for promotion. I explain that he should not only have to write a letter apologizing for his behavior in email form, but also apologize to all the teams under him in person at one time. Just after they send an email to him I drop by his office and say "Hey man, don't worry. I didn't let them review that tape."

He sends an apology letter and tells me that "You are on my good side now!"

A few moments later HR comes down and tells him that its not enough and to have all the teams gather in front of him. In the mean time I rig up the conference room to have a typed letter of all the times he has yelled at every single person which took me all night to do.

He comes in and makes some bullshit apology thats a non apology "I'm sorry I was so hard on you guys. I just know your potential and...."

I cut him off (HR isn't in the room) "Excuse me? Thats not good enough! I'm afraid you are going to need to apologize for your actual behavior and not give an apology that sounds like "I'm sorry I was trying to help you and you didn't like it." No, I'm afraid you are going to need to actually apologize and admit to wrong doing and tell the actual truth!"

At which point he visibly starts to get angry "I...I AM APOLOGIZING!"

Me: "Ok go on"

Him: [More non apology with him being obviously fake upset.]

I press play on the slide show. "Ok since you didn't get the message the first time we are going to go through these individually. On December 11 2001 you screamed at Robert Robbington where in you failed to give him a review and simply called him a dumbass." I continue: "You need to repeat these words exactly if you want to keep your job: "Dear Mr. Rob, I apologize for being overtly hostile and rude. I apologize for failing at my responsibilities as a manager to both you and the team. I understand I have a problem with anger and am willing to seek help with my clear lack of empathy for other people. As such I will be signing a document admitting fault, under the circumstances that I ever hit you again I want everyone to know that I would be 100% at fault and you would not be, and proof of my misbehavior towards you as proof of my honesty in apologizing two witnesses will be signing this document."

As soon as I finish speaking he stands there and starts turning angrily red and says "MrBurington, we need to speak alone. NOW!"

I reply "No, I'm afraid we don't. If you do not wish to apologize to Robert Robbington then you can apologize to me for this!"

At which point I play the audio of him talking to me "I really hope your [family member] dies. I mean really. I'm your boss and this is your job and you care about [family member]? You think I give a fuck about them or you? You could die for all I fucking care. When [family] dies if you mourn I'll be mocking you. I just want you to know that. Now fuck off." (You see after that little incident I couldn't have given a fuck if I did get fired I just wanted to ruin this guys life.)

He immediately starts howling at me that I 'edited' the audio and runs to get HR. Shortly there after HR comes back and the entire room denies that any of this happened. We all instead go through with a plan I had from the beginning: I was going to expose him for the POS he was/is IF he does not honestly apologize and admit to actual wrong doing.

HR then tells him hes fired. He storms off.

Now this is where the hard core revenge part comes in. I used to work for every single IT Company in this town, or have connections to them somehow. Hell I trained at least half of the management at the last company I worked for. My words have weight. So I make calls to all of the places I have ins at which is literally everywhere in town telling them to black list this guy. However at two companies I request that if he applies I would like to show up and help them interview him. He applied to both jobs and I was sitting there in the meeting room "Oh hey! Just wanted you to know that I knew Mr. Meet for years." Middle of the interview I bring up his behavior with the audio from him telling me that he hopes my family member dies.

I then tell my ex-manager: "Also just note, you may want to write this down, all the tech jobs in our area will have a copy of this audio. So you can go ahead and explain to them why you told me this and they can relay that to me."

As soon as we get out into the parking lot he swings on me and starts screaming "I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU. FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU." I run back into the building and security detains him and calls the police (My buddy recorded this on his phone, as well as obtained a copy of the video from security)

After a quick court case and going to jail he shows up at my house with a knife screaming "I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU! RUIN MY CAREER JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE A BITCH." (I think he had the address from working at the company with me)

I called the police, got my gun, and explained the situation while I waited on the cops to show up. He proceeded to be detained and got sentenced to a 2 year stent in prison.

When you get out I hope you read this you see this you stupid fuck.

(source) story by (/u/MrBurington)

[vampricyoda]

Final Endings and New Beginnings.

Hello everyone, It’s been a while since I devoted time to writing my thoughts on my life lately and I thought now’s a pretty good time. The tail end of 2018 was rough for me.I had been having lots of trouble at my job. Just being thrown at every little thing left me worn thin not to mention dealing with the fact that my friend, Stacy was going to die “Any Day Now” for....what seemed to be about six months. I ended up losing my job when my Aunt (who’s fought cancer twice in recent memory) had a heart attack after her last bit of chemo. We were under the impression she was going to be dead by some point in the next week so my other aunt who moved to Florida came up and her husband who lives in Jordan came back to the US (He was just taken off the no fly list) to see her. This all happened early on Wednesday morning so I called out of work on Wednesday and told them I’d figure out what’s going on and get back to them. I told them I would likely need a week, give or take. And at least until Friday, which I will take unpaid once my PTO runs out. My PTO would have run out at 1 PM on Friday and I was told if I wasn’t in at 1 PM on Friday that it would be considered job abandonment since they have a policy of no time off if you don’t have PTO. So Thursday morning I come in.grab my shit, let them count my box out and leave. Thankfully as the week continued she woke up early the next week and while far from good (she still can’t walk). She’s not dying. (Though we were told she was still likely not to make a year if the cancer comes back. And about a month ago she was cancer free!). Which leads me to my new problem. Finding work. This sort of thing has always been a bit of an issue for me. Because as much as I disliked my job I also knew I had it pretty good there. I worked a mile away. I got paid good money (For a teller. As I got more responsibilities...not so much) and for the most part I liked my coworkers and managers. But I also had a feeling I knew I was going to have an issue given they made a woman with stage 4 cancer work to keep her health insurance.....while the CEO saw her every day. She died 3 weeks into me being out of work. My unemployment wasn’t/isn’t as bad as it was last time I was out of work. All in all I’ll be out about 4 months total. Last time it was 8 and I spend my first month and a half trying things besides banking. I worked at a Printing Press and UPS. Didn’t last longer then a week at either of them. So I started back into banking and interviewed a lot. I had at least 6 in a 3 week span. Which given it was the Holiday season was quite a lot. But having issues finding work, and having friends pay for thing for me was taking it’s toll mentally. I did something I had never done before. I had intentionally cut myself. Not deep. But on my face. People asked me about it and I would steer the conversation elsewhere and I think people assumed it was a cat or fingernail. I’m.....not good about asking for help. Also during this time Stacy ended up passing and we dealt with the day off. The memorial. And supporting each other as best we could. but even knowing what was coming it was still a major blow with everything else going on and I think that was the straw that pushed me.I think I did a good job at not showing how I was struggling to keep going. But a week ago I finally got a bit of a light. One of my interviews bore fruit and they made me an offer. Almost exactly my hourly rate. Sadly only half the hours. But it’s maybe 2-3 miles away. In good weather I’ve walked worse. In doing some research I found a (current) real estate listing the property for sale and they asked me about my experience closing a branch in my interview. And in two out of three conversations with the branch manager she mentioned budget cuts to the branches budget in 2019.....So I’m not stupid. This is a branch with an expectation to close within the next few years and I was hired to help with that. Even if that hasn’t and likely won’t be communicated to me. The new bank has a back office in the next town over. So there’s hope and really I plan to knuckle down. And give this place everything I have. At least until it shows me otherwise. Having a lot of time to think during everything has shown me that for me to have a “future” all I really will need is enough to keep the property tax and utilities paid because we’re a year until the end of out mortgage.  Which to be honest takes a huge mental weight off. I mean I want to work full time and do well for myself. And will keep my eyes open for opportunities....and in all honesty I have a life plan/goal but it’s currently dependent on someone else’s choices. But all in all I’m looking forward to the challenges of it. And i made it through to the other side of this a little more beaten and broken. But a little wiser. And I know what I’m worth and I’m going out to get what I’m worth. I want to thank @nutellamolotov, @ingdamnit @aviviavai @shounensoul Nice Lady, John, and Jewels (Who’s Blog name I can’t remember) who have all been there for me during all this. Even if I didn’t let them in to know how bad I had been getting. And I’m iffy on if I would have continued going if not for them and their physical and mental support. Thank you so much. I want to thank a few other people. Shocktress who was really good to me during all this and sent me a whole of little presents and merch of their stuff. A blanket, mug, prints, calendar, and CDs. I wish they were SFW enough for me to have something on my desk to remind me of all the help you gave and sent. And finally Katie. Who again I’m not sure is on here because besides of some random reblogs I use this to write very sparingly. But you were always checking in and showing up to as many streams as you could. You were someone who I knew 9/10 was going to be there. Even if it was just sitting in the chat. Thank you. 2019 is a new beginning for me. Let’s go on it together.

[paige-from-my-book]

And after that dark chapter we're back on track for your regularly scheduled angst! This section has some mention of sexism, racism, homophobia, and slight violence.

"The next day when I got to the office Andrea wasn’t at the lab. I looked around. I couldn’t recall a time I had been working when she wasn’t here. 

I saw John in the back room and offered a greeting. John smiled at me, waving briefly.

“How are you liking it here so far?” he asked.

“It’s great. Thank you again for giving me this chance.”

“You’ve more than proved you deserve it. Is there anything you need?”

I shook my head.

“I only ask because Andrea said you might need some days off.”

“She did?”

“Yeah. Didn’t say why, just said you might need some personal time.”

“Oh, um. No, I think I’m alright. Thanks for checking. Where is Andrea?”

“She went to a seminar that I told her she could go to in order to get a raise.”

I wanted to hold it back so bad, but after what Andrea had just done for me, I couldn’t. “Why does she need to go to a seminar to get paid more? I’d argue she’s the best vet here. It seems if she wants or needs a raise, she should get it.”

John stared at me for a moment, looking both shocked and a bit offended. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand it,” he said after an awkward and terrifying silence. “It’s called running an office.”

“So wouldn’t you want to reward someone who always works overtime and who outperforms all the others? Andrea is the most rational and logical person in this office, if she thinks she deserves a raise, I would think that’d be reasonable. Plus, when you’re not here she basically runs the clinic.”

“If you’re so in favor of giving her a pay raise, maybe I should take it out of your check?” he threatened.

I clenched my jaw.

“I gave you a chance, Hailey. You’re a good worker. Focus on what you’re good at, honey,” he chastised.

Honey??

“Yeah? How’s that working out with Shawn?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking. “He’s supposed to work today, isn’t he? Is he at that seminar, too?”

John opened his mouth, looking angry. “English isn’t even her first language.”

“Are you kidding? She’s multilingual, doesn’t even have an accent, and you see that as a reason to pay her less?  Oh second thought I think I do need those days. I didn’t realize I’d have to deal with masochistic bullshit here, too,” I said, feeling my temper raise my body temperature. 

I turned and started to walk away.

“You don’t have any accrued PTO,” John called after me. “Have a nice few unpaid days.”

I didn’t stop as I walked out of the office.  I just rode my bike until I was outside of the city limits where trees surrounded me.

A few weeks later, I was cleaning the mess that a customer had made in the empty waiting room. It was a slow day, but still someone had managed to spill their soda on our floor, even though we had a sign saying no food or beverages were allowed. 

I looked up as I heard someone come in from the back. Andrea. Purfect, I thought to myself, smiling a little.

“Hey, how’s your day so far?” I asked in a light voice. I found myself trying to talk to her more and more. Despite my attempts, she still seemed standoffish. 

“Fine,” is all she said back, not even looking in my direction. I stopped wiping up the floor so I could fully face her. 

“Do… Do you have any pets?” I continued, even though her tone said she didn’t want to talk.

“Mhm.” She started typing on the front desk computer. 

“How many?”

“A couple cats.”

“Oh. Do tail.”

She looked up from the computer, finally meeting my gaze. As with the other bad jokes I’d made, I could see her doing her best to keep any amusement at bay, but a small smile still came through. Finally she controlled her face enough to say, “You tell awful jokes.”

“I don’t remember telling good jokes being purtinent to the job.”

She couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face this time and she sighed deeply and looked up to the ceiling. She straightened out her face and continued working at the computer and, with finality, said, “You missed a spot.”

I chuckled a little as I turned back to the puddle on the floor. As I was finishing up with the towel and about to grab the mop I’d brought with me, a man walked in.

He was handsome. His cheek bones protruded slightly and his nose was crooked in a sort of rustic beauty. His hair was a few inches long and styled to be up and off to the side. His five o’clock shadow was barely visible on his long face. He was in shape, too. He probably went to the gym every day. 

He smiled politely as he passed me and then looked to the front desk to see Andrea. When he saw her, his smile widened. I couldn’t help but feel a protective flare in my stomach as he strode up to her.

“Hey,” he greeted in a deep voice.

Andrea looked up from the computer, shocked at first. But once she’d seen who it was, she looked annoyed. 

I continued my mopping, but turned my head so I could hear them better, ready to step in if Andrea needed it.

“What are you doing here?” she asked quietly. Her tone seemed curious, but also slightly frustrated.

“I thought we had a great time last week,” he said. “So I wanted to come see you and see if we could meet up again soon.”

“We did, but I told you I don’t mix my personal and professional life,” she whispered. I could tell him being here was really uncomfortable for Andrea. If she liked me, I’d tease her about it later, but I knew better than to do that.

“Come on, you’ve never had someone visit you at work?” he asked. “How else could I make sure no one touched my pretty little girl?”

I could hear a smile in his voice but my eyes widened as my anger flared. The only thing that kept my feet planted to the ground was the look on Andrea’s face as I turned to yell at him. She shot a glance at me, telling me to stay out of it, but I could see her jaw clenching.

“Give me your phone,” she said.

“What? I don’t know if I’m comfortable with that,” he said, sounding shocked and confused.

“And I’m not comfortable with you showing up to my work place. Phone. Now.”

“I’m not giving you my phone. That’s such an invasion of privacy. Darling, it’s cute when you try to take charge, but back off.”

“The woman said to give her the phone,” I cut in, unable to keep myself out of it anymore. Andrea was quiet and professional, but I knew her well enough to know that she didn’t like being talked to like that.

The guy turned around, as if forgetting that I was there. “Stay out of this, dyke.” Then he turned back to Andrea. “See? You don’t want her hitting on you, do you? Good thing I’m here.”

Andrea’s mouth dropped open and her eyes narrowed, like she didn’t even know what to say. Then she let out a huff of laughter in disbelief. “Fine, do it yourself then. Delete my number from your phone. Right now.”

“What?” the guy incredulously asked.

“You don’t talk to my coworker like that, and you don’t talk to me like that. I don’t see any reason for us to ever need to contact each other again. Delete my number right now and show me,” she answered coldly. 

“Why are you being such a bitch?” he asked.

I dropped the mop and was across the room before either of them could react. Luckily, his phone was hanging out of his pocket, so all it took was a shove into the counter that knocked the wind out of him, then while he was distracted I grabbed his phone. I noticed it had to be unlocked and his fingerprint ID was set up, so I kicked his knee sideways. 

He cried out and set his hand on the counter. When he did, I grabbed it, used his finger to unlock his phone, then handed it to Andrea.  She looked at me, horrified, but still took the phone.

“You fucking whore!” he yelled at me. 

At the noise, Todd and Nick were coming from the back. 

“Whoa, whoa, what’s going on?” Todd asked, stepping between the stranger and me. 

“This bitch just stole my phone,” the man said, pointing to me.

Todd looked at me, confused, but Andrea had been fast and was already dropping the phone on the counter.

“There you go. No harm no foul,” Andrea said, turning and leaving from behind the front desk to enter the waiting room. “Now leave. If you ever come back, I’ll get a restraining order.”

He turned angrily and slammed the door shut, muttering about the stupid dyke that got in his way.

“What…. What happened?” Nick asked once the waiting room was quiet. 

I was about to respond, but before I could, Andrea turned to face me, clearly fuming.  “Hailey, office. Now,” was all she said before storming off. 

Nick and Todd looked from each other to me to where Andrea had disappeared.

“Is your will in place?” Nick asked quietly.

“My will? I don’t really have anything to leave behind.”

“Oh, good.”

I shot Nick a glare before following Andrea. What had I done wrong? The guy had been harassing Andrea, and I’d stopped him. 

Andrea was waiting by the door of the office as I walked in. Once I was clear of the door, she slammed it shut, glaring at me.

“What? I couldn’t just let him talk to you like that,” I said, shrugging. “You did the same thing for me!”

Andrea took a deep breath, looking everywhere in the office except me. “I didn’t do it at the office, though. Hailey, you can’t just do that sort of thing!”

“What sort of thing? Protect my coworkers?”

“Losing your temper! Obviously I wanted to slap him, kick him in the nuts, berate him down until he was sobbing, but we’re working!  You can’t just do whatever you want! You have to be professional!”

“Professional? Nick shows up late half the time and Shawn misses a shift at least once every two weeks!”

“They’re men! And not a convict! Do you know what happens if James calls here or comes back and talks to John about what happened?” she asked, her voice rising a little. But she doesn’t give me time to respond. “He’ll realize it was you right away, think you’re too emotional and too violent to work here, and then fire you! Maybe even tell your parole officer! You can’t just react any way you want!” Andrea finally finished. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “He’s already pissed because of that little stunt you pulled, calling him sexist.”

“He is sexist,” I commented.

“He’s also your boss. And he can make life hell. I can’t get you a raise when you keep pulling shit like this.”

I stared at her for a long time. Get me a raise? When I didn’t say anything, she finally looked back at me and met my gaze. She looked worried more than angry now.

“Hailey, you fit your role great here. Don’t screw that up,” she muttered as she opened the door and walked out.