Domestic Violet

Deranged . . .

DerAngela

occupied the same cage

with bars on the windowed cubicle

where we collected cash

charge or check please

from stressed-out pissed-off-at-the-bill  and taking it out on me

folks who came to pick-up

their vehicles after service in a six-pack dealership

per their extended warranties or lack thereof

and as new kid on the block

I learned the ropes from the Accounting department and

deranged DerAngela

who had some delusions going on re: the title-SENIOR service cashier

was her big goal in life

as if there were such a title to be gained

and a point emphasized during the learning curve

most important was NEVER  leave the CAGE at the end of the day

with any work undone

according to the upstairs accounting Manager

and I believe Miss deranged DerAngela's former deceased father-in-law

had been a salesman among them sometime in the past and she rode high on

the reputation she had as related to one of them

while intent on getting me GONE from my position that she viewed as

competition

and she came early and was gone by 3 but not without dragging her feet

for some reason I could not yet perceive

so when I was there until 8:30 too many evenings trying to

PUT AWAY the MONEY as per upstairs instructions

unable to leave by 6:00 as outlined in my job description

because I could not find the ledger error thinking it mine but knowing better

I had the intuition to finally look in DerAngela's desk

for missing paperwork and charge slips and

sure enough there it was

like I had a feeeling I would find it

but prayed I was wrong

like I do frequently when I 'know' what's really going on

and it was just the start of deranged DerAngela's miserable plan for me

but before I left the employ of the dealership

cuz who needs deranged DerAngela in a cage all damn day with ya

the most amazing thing happened while looking out the lobby window one day

at the vast expanse of new cars lined up hopefully

to be sold by too many vulture salesmen in crisp white shirts and ties

trying to look busy

and I was blown away when the gates at the south end bordering a Veterinary hospital

burst open and 3 unsaddled horses began running through the car lot

and you've never seen a bunch of salesmen run so fast to keep

fast-moving horses from the heavy city traffic

and eventually I heard through the vine some months later that

after she managed to get rid of two others after me

DerAngela was taken out of the cage in the middle of a workday

away to mental health

out of her mind . . .

Domestic Violet

Semper Vi ~

Survivor . . . from the VORTEX

 

As the crow flies (2) . . . . .

. . . it was only thirty minutes but crows didn't fly on a giant wall map and

did not cross the Metro in a truck at rush hour . . . . . and I was the dispatcher

orchestrator

project coordinator

in charge of 35 technicians

and their commercial/residential all-phases of construction

stuff

internal proposals generated with appropriate blanks filled in

outlining details of the pieces parts

purchase of 

timing of and whereabouts of

each item necessary

and each individual with

particular levels of

talent

to negotiate while hot customers chewed on my ear

when the receptionist could not calm them down

bringing me out of my seat

smiling all the while with courtesy

as behooves the

professional

and if peace be found in the

confessional

I loved every second of the

responsibility

for creating order

from chaos

routinely

emphasis smoothly running

operation

with prevention of disaster profiting the company

with a job well done

air-traffic controlling

on land

with keyboard

telephone and

2-way radio in hand

a velvety gloved one

and a whip in the other

they were all my brothers

but I was

their mother

goddess for the day

and for THE COMPANY

I was a

tool

for CEO's to Porsche it to the golf course

every day

and for Presidents to take 4 hour lunches

and paint their too-long nails in the office

behind their too-important

closed doors

and they left the building

with confidence

the dispatcher would handle it

as the hub of the wheel

must

and there I was at my best

in a windowless room on a lower level

bookkeeper and receptionist tucked away upstairs

and the parts guy

down below

and when the Porsche and the President's cold silver convertible

were not in the parking lot

and when given the space

resources

talent and authority

I made money for

The Company

with a 15'x20' map of the Metropolis

and volumes of fat book maps

always in reach with networked computer screen on a pedestal

front and center

keyboard elevated on a wooden box

and fatigue mats beneath my feet

as the sizzling multi-lined telephone and

radio 2-way never stopped

10/4

over

and out and a pager lay next to my alarm clock

at night as I lay down to sleep

so I really did

earn my keep

as I worked on my feet

dispelling the stress

and at a point October 1st, 1999 to be exact

my husband was at home dying of cancer

covered well by my employee insurance

and I left to drive the too many minutes up the hill

to care for him during lunch hour each day

wishing for wings to get me there in 3 minutes or less

but little did we know the bookkeeper

tucked away upstairs

was extorting all the well orchestrated hard-earned money

and eventually did 8 years for her crimes

while the CEO and the President had misplaced their trust when giving her

keys and authority and checks and stuff

and as the crow flies it is just a few miles

and a few days gone by

and eventually my husband died

but not before the up-to-no-good bookkeeper in charge of employee benefits

told me - " ... now we'll have to get new Insurance because of you ! " . . . . . . . . . .

  

(New category: Work)

 

Domestic Violet

Semper Vi ~

Survivor . . . from the VORTEX