Narnian_Princess
Rey is my hero
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 4,631
For the past year and a half, I've worked for a very small company (we are a martial arts dojo with an afterschool program). Very small, as in we only have 5 employees including the boss. I'm changing the names of the people in this tale.
The backstory: Mr. Smith and his soon-to-be-ex wife Mrs. Smith have owned this facility for nearly 4 years. My friend Brian (16) has worked there since the beginning, I (18) came along nearly 3-1/2 years ago (only on staff for 1-1/2), and Katie (14) has worked there since this past summer. I am very good friends with Mrs. Smith and Brian, but not so much with Mr. Smith or Katie. I am friends with them, just not good friends. Well, Mr. Smith and Mrs. Smith are divorcing, and Brian (Mrs. Smith's best friend) has sided with Mrs. Smith through this whole thing. (Long, bad, complicated; you don't wanna know.) Of course, I try not to take sides, but Mr. Smith did Mrs. Smith very wrong in a lot of ways, so I am leaning toward Mrs. Smith's side behind the scenes. Mr. Smith has also had many problems with Brian's mother.
The problem: Everyone works Mon-Fri (well, I don't work Fridays). I found out today that Mrs. Smith is working only Tuesdays and Thursdays; she would have been fired except that Mr. Smith knew if he fired her that Brian and I would leave as well. So he cut her hours, as well as cutting Brian's hours to only Tuesdays and Thursdays.
As if that wasn't bad enough... he calls me for a meeting and asks me, "Do you like working here?"
I love it, so of course I say, "Yes."
"I have a proposal to make. It will increase your hours, and also increase your responsibilities greatly."
I say, "Okay."
He says, "I want to let Brian go, completely. And I want you to take his place."
My jaw just dropped. I didn't know what to say. I don't even remember much of what was said after that; I was just so shocked. And not in a good way.
Does this sound like a strictly business decision? In a way it does (Mr. Smith said, "I can't afford him.") but in a way it doesn't (all the relationship-related problems). This would be a wonderful opportunity for me, but if Brian is fired, he's most likely not coming back, then Mrs. Smith will leave, and there go my friends. Also, I can't side with Brian and Mrs. Smith, because I'm testing for my black belt in a few months and Mr. Smith has unfairly failed at least one other student on his black belt exam before for much less than this. I don't want to get on his bad side and potentially fail; this black belt means too much to me. What should I do? We have to have another meeting to discuss details, and I'm not supposed to discuss it with anyone yet.
But I knew that if anyone would know what to do, it would be you DISers.
The backstory: Mr. Smith and his soon-to-be-ex wife Mrs. Smith have owned this facility for nearly 4 years. My friend Brian (16) has worked there since the beginning, I (18) came along nearly 3-1/2 years ago (only on staff for 1-1/2), and Katie (14) has worked there since this past summer. I am very good friends with Mrs. Smith and Brian, but not so much with Mr. Smith or Katie. I am friends with them, just not good friends. Well, Mr. Smith and Mrs. Smith are divorcing, and Brian (Mrs. Smith's best friend) has sided with Mrs. Smith through this whole thing. (Long, bad, complicated; you don't wanna know.) Of course, I try not to take sides, but Mr. Smith did Mrs. Smith very wrong in a lot of ways, so I am leaning toward Mrs. Smith's side behind the scenes. Mr. Smith has also had many problems with Brian's mother.
The problem: Everyone works Mon-Fri (well, I don't work Fridays). I found out today that Mrs. Smith is working only Tuesdays and Thursdays; she would have been fired except that Mr. Smith knew if he fired her that Brian and I would leave as well. So he cut her hours, as well as cutting Brian's hours to only Tuesdays and Thursdays.
As if that wasn't bad enough... he calls me for a meeting and asks me, "Do you like working here?"
I love it, so of course I say, "Yes."
"I have a proposal to make. It will increase your hours, and also increase your responsibilities greatly."
I say, "Okay."
He says, "I want to let Brian go, completely. And I want you to take his place."
My jaw just dropped. I didn't know what to say. I don't even remember much of what was said after that; I was just so shocked. And not in a good way.
Does this sound like a strictly business decision? In a way it does (Mr. Smith said, "I can't afford him.") but in a way it doesn't (all the relationship-related problems). This would be a wonderful opportunity for me, but if Brian is fired, he's most likely not coming back, then Mrs. Smith will leave, and there go my friends. Also, I can't side with Brian and Mrs. Smith, because I'm testing for my black belt in a few months and Mr. Smith has unfairly failed at least one other student on his black belt exam before for much less than this. I don't want to get on his bad side and potentially fail; this black belt means too much to me. What should I do? We have to have another meeting to discuss details, and I'm not supposed to discuss it with anyone yet.
But I knew that if anyone would know what to do, it would be you DISers.
Mr. Smith will want everyone gone who is associated with his wife.
Something not right there.
)
