taken advantage of. I worked hard for my money, and when I had to pay exorbitant costs for shit I knew wasn’t that expensive, it made me very angry. People assumed because I had deep pockets, I could pay more.
I put the phone away and tapped my fingers on the desk. I needed a break. I figured now was a good time to find Saige and find out what she wanted to say to me. It was probably going to be something about the breakroom or something else.
I opened the door and the first thing I heard was conversation. I walked around the corner of one of the cubicle walls and saw three employees leaning against the wall and talking. Just talking. I was in a shitty mood and seeing that was the last thing I needed. It struck a chord within me. It was like adding gas to a spark.
“Are you guys on a break?” I asked.
The two women looked startled. “Uh, no, we were just grabbing something to drink.” They scurried away but the man stayed right where he was. He was challenging me with a stare.
“And you?” I asked.
“I’m taking a minute,” he said defiantly.
I nodded. “I see. How long exactly is this minute going to be?”
“I’ve been working all morning. I’m resting my eyes and my brain. We’re doing real work here.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Are you insinuating I’m not?”
“I’m insinuating you’re counting your money. We are counting other people’s money. We’re doing work that can have a huge impact on a person and their company. It requires a lot of focus. My brain needs a break.”
I noticed the other employees doing their best not to look like they were eavesdropping, but they clearly were. They were watching and waiting to see what I would do. This was not unusual. I was used to having my authority tested.
“And I’m asking you how long your brain will need that break? Is it more than the three ten-minute breaks you take during the day? Is it longer than the hour you take for lunch? Give me a ballpark figure here.”
“Until I can see straight again.”
“Do you wear glasses?” I asked. My voice was calm. That was always far more effective than shouting. They had to listen to my every word if I kept my voice low.
“No, I don’t wear glasses,” he snapped.
“What’s your name?”
“Arthur,” he said with a snideness I really didn’t like.
I nodded. “Okay, Arthur. Please tell me you are not on my clock.”
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t pay you to rest your brain or your eyes. Every other person here seems to manage with the breaks they are given. If you need to be accommodated, I will be happy to do that, but I will not pay you to stand around.”
Arthur shook his head. “You’ve been working us like dogs for two weeks. You took away our food and coffee and put up these ugly partitions.”
“Dogs don’t get paid,” I quipped.
“You don’t pay us enough to take this shit from you,” he snapped. “We were doing just fine before you came along and decided to make all these changes. We work just as hard, and you don’t even bother saying thank you. You just crack your whip louder.”
“I’m sorry you feel that me asking you to do the job you are paid to do is too much. Anyone else feel that way?”
I looked around and waited for someone to chime in. A woman stepped around the corner of her cubicle. “We are doing our best,” she said. “This is just a really stressful time for everyone. Arthur was just catching his breath before he helps me on one of the larger accounts.”
I nodded. “I see. Arthur, have you caught your breath?”
He smirked. “Nope.”
I was not going to let him talk to me like that. “That’s unfortunate, Arthur. I don’t think you’re cut out for work here. Go ahead and pack your things and you’ve got the rest of your day to catch your breath. You won’t need to worry about coming in tomorrow or ever again for that matter. Good luck finding some other schmuck to pay you to stand around and catch your breath.”
“You’re firing me?” he said as his face paled.
“Yes. Have a nice day.” I turned and started to walk away.
“You can’t fire me!”
“I can and I did,” I said without stopping. “Clear your desk and leave or security will escort you out.”
I went back to my office and closed the door. I had a