So Much Drama, So Little Time

It’s been a week since my dad’s been out here.  It was nice seeing him again, and it was a damn quick two days.  In retrospect, I probably should have had him come out for a little more than 2 days, maybe three, but I didn’t know if I could have taken the time of work.  Knowing what I do now, I probably wouldn’t have.

The first day he was here, we lounged around pretty much.  All three of us (Him, Danyale and I) went to see “Stop Loss” at the movies.  I was surprised when I saw it was an MTV Film, but it was enjoyable none-the-less.  Their movies have certainly come to age since “Varsity Blue’s” and it was a surprising quasi-complicated film about a serious issue.

The second day was even more casual than the first.  We ended up heading down to Lawrence,  and stopping to eat at the Applebee’s there.  After a heavy lunch, we drove by the KU campus.  I’ve never been by it, and let me say, that damn thing is massive!  It was beautiful too.  Ball State always prided itself on it’s architecture, but it has nothing on KU on landscaping.

After driving around KU, we headed out to Baldwin City to something I saw when I was driving around before, something called the Old Castle Museum.  Not really thinking too much about it, we decided to head down there.  Now when something is called an Old Castle Museum, it brings certain thoughts to one’s head.  However, actually seeing the damn thing—essentially an over-sized three-story house, was disappointing.  At least I got a picture of myself in front of the damn thing.  Hell, it was even closed the day we went.

After that disappointing screw up, we headed to the Battle of Blackjack, which is essentially a marker, and about it.  There was a neat sign up, along with a small shelter house, but there wasn’t too much to see.  Danyale took some more pictures of everything, and we made the short drive back to Topeka listening to her sleep and snore the entire way there.

I had to stop by work real quick because I got a call earlier that day that Kent got fired.  I went in and talked to Gene about things, and turns out Kent wasn’t just forging critical counts and inventory, he was outright stealing.   When I called Kent to ask what happened, he kept just crying and crying, and saying he lost his job.  Usually I would have sympathy for someone, but for a thief I simply lack the ability to care.  Besides, turns out he told Dan (our new Area Manager) it was ME stealing to try to absolve his guilt.  Dan didn’t believe him, but at work, we’re on a much tighter leash now.  I suppose it’s a good thing, but I generally trust everyone I work with right now.  We haven’t had a problem with money in the last few days, and people are much, much happier that Kent is gone.

I’m happy he’s gone too, but I’m not happy I had to pick up hours.  Like I said, I turned in my notice a week ago, and effectively, it’s off.  I told Dan I’d stay for awhile, to see if things improve, and we’re supposed to have a meeting about a possible pay raise this week.  I’ve worked 57 hours so far this week, and still have ten more to go tomorrow.  I’m tired, and I’m exhausted.  Next week, I’m only penciled in for 69 hours, but I might be able to take a day off if we steal a manager or two from another store.  Otherwise, I’ll be working non-stop without a day off for a long ass time.   That starts to take a toll on people.

I was frustrated a week ago about work and everything else, and I’m still about the same.   I might be just a wee bit more optimistic right now, but I know I want something different from my life, and managing a pizza store isn’t going to cut it.  I need to make a damn change, and do something so I can be happy again.  I was so damn euphoric when I moved out to Kansas, and besides being with Danyale, that euphoria has worn off.  I don’t know if I need to just get out of Kansas or just find something to make a career out of here, but I know I need to make a change.

It’s almost 6 am, and I have to be at work in 8 hours.  I’ll sleep for five or so, and get up.  That’s all the sleep I’ve been running on in the last week or so, and it’s hard to do so.  It used to be that on my day’s off, I’d sleep in for about ten or twelve hours, and catch up on some neglected sleep.  It’s a shame I don’t have that opportunity anymore, because I’m in a much better mood when I do so.

Danyale’s been having problems with me working so many hours.  I told her next day off I get, we could head to the zoo that she’s been trying to drag me to for over a year, and I think that would make her happy.  It’s not quite the Indianapolis Zoo, but she seems to want to go see it, and I want to make her happy.  Besides, playing the dumb tourist and relaxing in town doesn’t seem too bad all of a sudden.

I just need more free time.

I need a life again.