When I worked at Cottage Expressions the cute little gift shop and tea room in Meridian Idaho I was just 18 years old. The owners of the shop bought a next location in Nampa Idaho just a half hour drive away from the first shop. My Supervisor Christy had trained me then left to help open the new shop. I got to work occasionally over in the quieter calmer slower store in Nampa. The transitional time of not having Christy right there to work with made me a bit nervous. The new Supervisor in the very popular Meridian store was a very nice older gentleman named Mikael. He was almost as feminine as I was, and I liked him right away. He was always writing out a to do list for the day. He made up code words to use in front of customers when one of us needed the help of the other person. One cold winters stormy night just before we closed, a homeless man reeking of alcohol and so dirty came in the warmly lite gift shop. I stood there bewildered at first when he spoke "Can you spare some money?" I relaxed in my reply "If I had extra I wouldn't need this job!" I chuckled, The man was both poorly dressed and had big snow flakes resting on his greasy hair. I felt sadden by the sight of him but also aware I was all alone in this shop now at this time of night. So I invited him sit down in the waiting area of the tea room while I served him the last cup of coffee and gave him the left over day's croissant. He seemed relieved to sit out of the stormy weather. I knew I only had a half hour more before closing so I went about my job chores as if the strange homeless man wasn't there watching me through the hallway of the shop decor. When the front door bell jingled again I was so relieved to see Mikael entering the shop just chatting away at me like he always did. "Hey Girlie I just remembered you were working here all by yourself tonight, I thought I would check in on you see if you needed my help! It's like a blizzard out there! so scary! I can wait around to make sure your car gets started I know you have another hour's drive ahead of you in this! You really should rent the apartment around the corner for you'd save a ton of money on gas alone hahahaha." I was just so amazed that Mikael was standing before me in his matching scarf and gloves. He was one of those people who loved his job and loved just being in the shop even if he wasn't on the clock. I whispered quickly back at him "I am glad you are here for there is a Homeless man, he was cold so I gave him some coffee...over there." When Mikael spun around in a full circle to casually look at the man sitting a bench in the coffee bean corner outside the tea room. Mikael's eyes were huge "DEBBY!" He hissed and he looked again only now he was standing on my side of the cashier counter. "Oh Debby Debby Debby this could be so dangerous!" He clicked his tongue and glanced at the clock we were only 10 minuets away from closing. Mikael went to talk to the guy and explained we had to close the shop. He gave the homeless man directions to a nearby shelter then locked the door behind him. Once the shop was closed and the open sign was off, Mikael looked at me with deep concerned as he tried to explain. "Debby that is really so very dangerous for a young girl like you to take in a homeless scary ass looking man like that!!" He sighed "What would you have done if I hadn't just randomly popped into tonight!!?" He was trying not to scary me to death but he was so alarmed himself as I watched him closely. I had no idea why he was so alarmed, I saw a man in need and just knew the Christian thing to do was help him out. Being alone in the shop was never my favorite time at night but it happened all the time so I thought I could be myself with the homeless man. "I felt so sorry for him in a snow storm and so cold! I thought the coffee was a good choice or it would end up down the drain other wise." I smiled back unsure of what to say. Mikael was softening by my words yet he still looked so upset and bewildered. "I wish we could help everyone out in need but that guy was a bit drunk and not all there in the head, who knows what he was thinking about you being so kind. I have noticed you are very nice to people, you are a sensitive person but I don't want you to be so clueless or get hurt so that is why I am so upset! I just want you to be safe first and foremost as your supervisor it's my job to make sure this shop and you while working here are all safe." He helped me finish the closing and I thanked him again for the miracle pop-in, I proclaimed it an act by God guiding him to rescue me from being alone in the shop with that homeless man.
Mikael just laughed in replying to me saying God is really what that homeless man needed.
When My car was in the shop while I worked the long days at the gift shop, My Father would pick me up or drop me off everyday. One late evening when I worked past my quitting time and I was so lost in a Christmas tree decorating project, I had the pricing gun, the unwrapped ornaments spread out every where. When my Father appeared like a fish out of water in that gift shop, he stood there frowning at me. "Weren't you off work a half hour ago?" he asked and his sudden voice made me jump 10 feet in the air. I was alarmed at not finishing my job but also in not wanting my Dad to be more upset. I yelled up stairs to Mikael that I had to leave right now and I would finish my job first thing in the morning. When Mikael slide down the stairs he was almost singing his goodbye to me then the phone interrupted us from me explaining why my Father was marching off to his pick-up. When Dad and I drove away, Dad exclaimed "That is one really gay guy!" He looked bewildered and alarmed. "Gay?" I asked him back. Mikael was creative, colorful and very girlie, but I had never heard the word before, Gay. My Father snorted and flipped his hand towards me "Yeah like Gay, REALLY gay to be working in a place like That!" My father explained while I watched out the passenger window as we drove home. I had no idea what dad was talking about. I got the feeling that whatever it was my Father didn't like it. When we got home the first thing dad said to Mom was "Debby's new boss is a Gay Guy!!" My Mother was equally alarmed. Mom didn't waste another chance to tell me I needed to quit. "This is very very bad Debby!" she explained when I didn't react like her or dad as they discussed what to do now with this info maybe I would have to quit my job. I began to protest and share that I didn't know what the big deal was! I kept getting shot down. My Father took his 2 pointing fingers and banged them together saying "THIS doesn't work!" My Mother slapped his hands down and told him to stop it. I was even more confused while watching my parents panic over my gay supervisor. I had absolutely no understanding of straight sex much less to suddenly understand gay sex. So to just learn in one evening the word "Gay" makes everyone freak out was a lot for me to process, and now this guy I had begun to be friends with was said by my parents to be so sinful and so wrong I was very worried in general by everything. The next day I kept an eye on the clock all day I didn't want my father to get upset by me being late again. When I saw my father's pick up pull up to the shop, I shot up from my project to leave, Mikael had been watching me through out the day as if he could tell I had changed in how I talked to him. "My Dads here I gotta go now!" I explained I felt bad leaving my work unfinished. Usually when I had my own car I would stay another extra hour to just finish the job that was something Mikael said he was proud of me for doing. But now he was alarmed by my leaving quickly through out the shop, so he followed me. "I would love to meet your Dad!" Mikael said behind me as I grabbed my coat and purse. I waved him off "Oh he hates this kind of girlie gift shop an' all." I explained. So Mikael held the front door open for me as I met my Father half way in the street. Mikael then shouted out "Bye bye Debby!" and I waved back over my head. If I could keep my father from being around Mikael then maybe I wouldn't have to quit after all. As Dad mocked Mikael saying "Bye Bye Debby." in his fake girlie voice then he flipped his hands and played like he was a gay man. I snorted and laughed at my Dad as I passed by him to get into the pick-up. But it was at that second before I slipped into the cab that I saw Mikael still there at the front door watching everything with a sad look on his face, I could clearly see that he was truly hurt. I felt instantly sick to my stomach, I wanted to hide in embarrassment. I really liked Mikael how he was so bubbly and friendly. He was always looking out for me and teaching me some very important skills to have in Customer Service. He loved the "Cherish Teddies" collection just as much as my Grandma Norma. He made me laugh every day, we would have long talks about me missing my baby brothers when I was at work. Now he saw my father mocked him, he knew I had been already upset that day. I was worrying over if I was going to be told to quit my job. The answer came a few days later... When both Mom and Dad sat me down to tell me what a good christian does in this situation. I had been avoiding Mikael ever since I was told he was gay, because God strikes down people like that in the bible. I had to do the right, good and godly thing in obeying my parents. Now I wasn't sure why but if it's in the bible then I have to refrain from socializing with gay sinners even if they were as nice as Mikael. The conversation about quitting had me in tears with my Boss, she also really loved Mikael, for they were very good friends. Tami was a tall broad woman, she usually was wearing big heel boots and long flowing skirts. She watched me very closely as I gave her my 2 weeks notice speech. I had almost been working there a whole year and it had been my very first job. I didn't want to quit, but I felt drained from all of the drama at home. This gay guy Mikael had brought such discussions and worry into my family. My home life was already stressful in general for at the same time my sister's secret engagement was being revealed, so if I fought more with my parents in wanting to keep my job it would have been way to much for them to handle. I explained about how as a Christian I can not agree to a co-workers gay life style, (even though I STILL didn't know what that even was!) How I had to do the right thing in standing up for God in this situation. I said everything the way my mother wanted me to say and how my Father coached me the night before. My boss watched me with flared eyes along with many coughs and gasps of insult. When I finished with how important it is for me to obey my parents in God's eyes this the ultimate rule for my life. She nodded and said sadly "You Know You are 18 years old,and obeying your parents is now over? but I am sure your parents do not want you to realize this." She explained how I was the hardest worker she ever had and how she had watched me learn quickly and become more confident. She said she didn't want me working the last 2 weeks with such hatred for gay people. I had to exclaim through my sudden tears that I do not hate anyone! But Tami brought Mikael upstairs to her office to say Goodbye to me. That was such a hard moment for me to face him, He entered the room all aware that it was my last day that I was quitting because he was gay. He hugged me first then spoke through his own teary eyes "I know you are still my friend. You just have to obey your parents. But if I could fix this for you I would! That is if you think just talking to your parents could help?" He asked me gently and I quietly shook my head. "Nope. this is how I have to handle this." I said looking at him as he pushed his eye glasses up his nose. As Mikael left he said he would love to give me a reference in helping me get another job. But it was when he said half way down the stairs "Be Careful when feeding the homeless now." I chuckled and wiped my wet eyes again. My Boss walked me to the back door and said "I would just LOVE to talk one on one with your father sometime." She smirked and I waved goodbye thinking to myself that he would chew her up and spit her out in such a talk. But really right now in remembering this moment I can't help but think She would have spit nails much faster!
Everyone has that very first job, that first memory of making money, developing skills and joining society.
A first job when the world woke up inside them.
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