...The useless,lazy helper I'd so often complained about is finally gone...Like a bad cold!! 2 weeks ago,he called me on a Sunday eve to tell me he's sick and can't make it in to work on Monday..OK,I asked him to call me on Moday morn to confirm that he really wasn't coming in..I had a Service Upgrade that day,and was hoping he'd of felt better overnite...No such luck..he called me on Mon.morn, and said he was still sick..OK..."Feel better,and call me tomorrow nite and tell me your progress"..Tuesday..no call,no show..Wednesday,I called him,and asked "What's up"? and he said .."still sick"..I then asked why hadn't he called me to inform me,and he said he "wasn't up to it"..I then told him to see a Doctor,and maybe he could be given and antibiotic,or something..he replied.."no,thats alright"...Thursday and Friday were a wash as well,and I spoke to him on Sunday eve,and asked if he'd be in for work.."Yeah,I'll be in, but I'm still sick"..I said "see how ya feel,and call if you're gonna come in"..I really needed him..He came in alright, for about 3 hours,and then asked if he could go home..I was mad as heck,'cause he hadn't seen a Doctor,and he could've..if he cared about himself or his job...(which at this point I think the "sickness" was all baloney,as he took his tools home,and never takes them with him)...Thursday he comes in,as well as Friday..Now mind you,I'd just given him an undeserved $2.00 raise..We had to work Saturday,to make for the lost time all the previous week,..the only thing was that I told him I'd call him if ANYTHING CHANGED,..which it didn't,so Saturday,I expected him to show up...No Show...I went to his house to pick him up,as I've always done,'cause his jalopy doesn't run..and he was sleeping..After waking him I asked "What gives"?? and he said.."You didn't call me"...I flipped out..I told him,"if he cared about his job,and didn't hear from me,he should've called to confirm if we were indeed working"..He then yelled, "Oh, I gotta call you now"??..I can see where the adage "Familiarity breeds contempt" comes from...There was a total breakdown of respect for his job,..me as his boss,and his overall demeanor..It's as if he wanted me to fire him,so he could collect unemployment,sit home and loaf,while getting paid for it..I asked him "do you want to lose your job"?? and he replied,.."if you wanna fire me,then fire me"...I then left in a huff, got in my van and sped off...only to return 5 min, later to ask him to come to work..."you fired me"..he said,and I replied that I hadn't..and if he'd just come in to work,and I held out my hand for him to shake in reconciliation,and he stubbornly said "NO"...so I asked if he'd be in on Mon. morn,and he replied "I don't know"..He finally said he would come in after all,and I left...Monday morn...guess what..?? NO Show!!! I've Had It!!!! Let him try to collect,...I'll tell them he quit,and wouldn't return..He had my van keys,and I owed him a weeks salary,of which he thought was his "raise"...guess what he didn't get it..I paid him his old salary,and got my darn keys back before he noticed the amount of the check!! HA, the last laugh is mine!!He was quite perturbed and even had the nerve to ask me "where's the raise"..I swear it's true..I told him there wasn't any..he shouted a few expletives,and I graciously returned a few,..and walked away...I pity the fool who calls me for a reference...How'd I do???
Russ
