Thursday, April 13, 2006

Always be ready for the unexpected.

My day started off with a phone call from Kelly Services. They had a temporary, three day job for me to fill at the a car dealership in Bellingham with filing and copying information for them. I took it. Fifteen minutes into the job, Kelly Services called to make sure all was well. I should of known something was wrong!
I got to the dealership at 10:00. About five minutes after meeting the lady that would be training me, she asked me if I had a car. I said I did. See asked me if I would mind driving her around the corner on our lunch brake to a licensing place to get her license. Her car was in the shop and she really needed her license. If I would take her, she would pay me for my gas. As I was already intending on sitting in my car on my break to eat and the place was just around the corner, I agreed.
About fifteen minutes from that, she came up to me again and asked if I would mind driving her to somewhere just off of I-5 or something like that. I was a bit stunned but I said ok, then she spun around saying over her shoulder that her husband had told her to take the bus home but she didn't want to so I could give her a ride home.
Just for the record that was not an, 'I'll do it - ok", but an "ok- where is all this going?". If she is willing to ask that of me in the first thirty minutes of work, what is going to happen in the next three days! Chauffeur was nowhere in the job description. This might of been fine, but I was feeling uncomfortable with the situation.
The lady came to me yet again and did not ask me but informed me that the next day I would be following her into town from Blain, from a convenient place for her in case her car broke down and she needed a ride. I tried to protest but she would not hear it.
Well here is where it gets really exiting.
First as she approached my car she informed me she intended to smoke in my car, but I absolutely protested this. She finally did agree with a sad sweet old lady face. She reeked of cigarettes as it was. While driving to the licensing place she was navigating us further and further away and saying things like, "This will all be our little secret", and "Don't tell anyone about this, we will just keep it between you and me." yah right!
By this time I was getting really uneasy. I wasn't sure where I was and I didn't even know this woman. She asked me if I had to go straight home after work or if I had plans. I informed her that I did have things to do. She got a sad look on her face looked down a the floor and said oh, I need you to take me by the store tonight on the way home I need my medications.
We ended up at Wal-Mart fortyfive minutes into our lunch break! As she shut the door to go in she informed me that she was going to buy a few things because she didn't want to pay the two dollar fee at the cash machine. Then she left her purse in the car with me! This was a situation going from bad to dangerous. She could easily accuse me of steeling from her or something.
She came back twenty minutes later with two grocery bags full! Putting her bags on my back seat and said that will make less time of buying groceries with my husband tonight.
I would have said that this Lady was taking me for a ride but I was the one driving.
Then we went to the licensing place just down from Wal-Mart not around the corner. The dealer ship was on Iowa. As she left my car, she informed me that she didn't know how long it was going to be. It could take a while and then once again left her things in my car with me.
I sat there trying to calm down, one moment I would feel compassion for this lady she probably thought of me like a grandchild, then indignation. I am not this lady's grandchild nor her chauffeur, She is manipulating me as well as putting me in a very potentially dangerous situation. If anything went missing from any of her bags I could get blamed. It had to stop. I was already late returning from lunch to work and she was asking me to lie about it!
I first called my Mom to let her know what was going on - then I called Kelly Services and told them everything.
They where all wonderful! I sent up a distress signal and they sent someone across town and to rescue me. I informed them that I had a feeling if I say no to this lady she is going to get very angry.
I did not need to go back to work to the car dealership. Kelly Services pulled me off the job. No, they where not upset with me at all. Actually, they where glad that I called them for help and felt very bad about the whole situation. Kelly Services advises anyone that works for them to call if at anytime things do not seem right. Kelly Services had been told by the previous person that filled this job that something was just not right so that was why they had called to check on me in the first place. One of the office personal showed up to take the lady back to work. She had her own story to tell me. When she walked into the licensing place the older lady was casually waiting there leaning against a wall. She gave the Kelly personal a sad story. Hinting it was all my fault. Then proceeded to admit it was her fault and getting madder and madder finally pulling off her wig and proceeded to comb it. The Kelly person was calm and in control but rather shocked!!! The next day I went into Kelly Services and they all were so sorry I had to deal with this job. They gave me a free lunch and just kept apologizing. I informed them that it was so nice to have someone to back me up when dealing with a bad employer.
I guess the moral to my story is that sometimes God puts us in various situations to make us grow, learn and possibly be a witness to others.
Lets see what can I learn from this?

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

Now I want to be in a musical! Anna and Rebecca where great in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers! I went twice! Gifted voices, good acting, entertaining choreography, and great humor, although I must say when the guys came out wrapped in blankets I found my self looking intently at my program and the mens song about the Woman was well.....
Great job Ladies.