Kaetlin Perna
September 1, 2006

Before the summer began, I bought a bikini at Old Navy. It was pink and orange, and because I just got into shape. I thought I'd wear it. I've worn it once and it was around the time that I bought it. This summer I've worked so much that I haven't had time to go to the beach or a park. Usually I am running errands on my one and only day off (like I did Monday, I got cable installed at 8 in the effin morning, by the way, and had an interview at the City for a freelance features position, but that's another column). I took a vacation day on Wednesday, this week, dues to the crazy hours that I've been working. And folks, I have to say, and I never thought I'd have to... the man is keeping me down!

At my full time position (not the coffeeshop one), I come to work on time, work a full day, deal with my stresses of evicted tenants, contractors and pharmaceutical reps, and leave. I get an occasional call from the corporate office at night because there may be an issue at my building. I deal with it, more than someone who gets 8.75 an hour should, but I deal with it. What bothers is while I work my ass off and occasionally get harps on for issues at this difficult location, others get off easier.

My co-worker at a different store doesn't show up for work on time and sometimes not at all. I have received calls from her customers saying she was, a) rude to them, or b) not there at all. And on the one day, I couldn't get coverage, I had her assistant work here (it was okayed by said manager), because my manager was laid up at home. I get a call 15 minutes to close that now the assistant will have to work that Monday because the manager "forgot" about a Doctor's appointment. I called her out on it and confirmed it fwith our manager. The next day, she threw a fit and tried to start crap with me over the phone. Mind you, I work 35-40 hours there, 15-20 at the coffeeshop, and when school starts again, 10 with the kids I babysit in the morning. All these issues and corporate does nothing!

I've wasted my summer working my ass off and all I got was "good job, Kaetlin." The man is really interfering with the fact that I'm in the middle of trying to get published and network in New York. The man is calling me at 8 o'clock at night when I'm two beers in from a stressful day. The man's uniform is taking space up in my laundry for God sakes! And like all corporate jobs (where I get benefits, paid sick time and vacation), I have to deal with this. Kaet cannot give the finger to the man because I really need some Clarinex for my allergies and time to be sick (even though I've never, and I stress never, have taken a sick day, here or anywhere else even when I'm congested and my head is swelled up, or possibly hung-over).

The only thing I like about this job is that I'm getting used to it here and comfortable enough where I don't feel like I have to quit, like the rebel I think I am. The regular customers are nice, people wave at me and I feel like I do my job well. I just wish that other people would too so I don't feel like I'm busting my ass while others aren't even showing up to work. My summer is wasted, but thankfully with this vacation day I took, I was able to go to the beach. Damn the man, sort of - damn his impracticality, not the benefits I get. I certainly can't bite the hand that feeds me.

Note: I didn't go to the beach, I laid around in my pjs and watched Comedy Central all morning until I got lunch with my friend Alison Brown. But that's next week's column.