I've replayed this story so many times in my head, I don't really want to tell it again but I will.

So I don't know if I told you or not, but I got a second job, for the summer at a local tourist attraction some three blocks from my house. The pay was almost 30% more than what I was making at my current job and it was supposed to be full time-esque.

So I started on Tuesday, learned how everything worked and was told on the phone by the woman who hired me ("Gloria") to ask "Shelly" to put me on the schedule for the rest of the week. So I do, at which point Shelly tells me she's not really sure why Gloria hired me because she and the other girl ("Melissa") were barely getting enough hours now that a third girl was hired ("Linda") let alone hiring me. I explained that I understood, and because I had another job, I was ok with getting less hours and would basically be available for the days they didn't want. The girls were ok with that and said they'd get back to me about when my next shift would be.

Then 5 minutes before we were about to leave for the day, they ask me if I'm coming in tomorrow (Wednesday) and I told them I could if they needed me to. They said that Gloria told them that I was supposed to come in on Wednesday as well and were suprised that she didn't tell me that. So I show up on Wednesday, and because the job is fairly easy, I have no problem being on my own. That day Shelly decides to quit because she was able to find a job that paid better and was in her field. So Gloria calls Melisa asks her if Shelly was scheduled to work Thursday (the answer to which was No) and tells her that I am to take over Shelly's shifts as of immediately. I explain that I can't do that because I already had a schedule with another job for this week, but if they give me some notice, I could make arrangements for future dates. She tells me to write it all down because she would be seeing Gloria that night.

Fine. No problem. So today I get up, go to my original job (more fun, crappy pay) and 6 hours later recieve two phone calls back to back. The first one was Gloria. She says that she didn't realize that I wouldn't have full availability. To which I respond "I do, just not a full 10 hour shift on a saturday unless I have advance notice" and I explain that I mentioned my other job in the interview. Gloria responds with "well yes, but I didn't realize you wouldn't have full availability." Um Hello?! She goes on to say that my not being available on saturdays is an issue because it's not fair to the other girls to make them work every weekend, which I understand, but when I told the girls in the office my situation, one responded "that's alright, I don't mind working Fridays and Saturdays." I was also told that the girls make their own schedules, which is what I said to Gloria. She responds that they run a three week rotation, so that no one has to work every weekend. Then she goes on to tell me that she doesn't think it's going to work out because of the miscommunication and to bring in my work shirt and my hours so she can pay me for what I've done to this point. Great.

This is a catch 22, because I hated the job, but I needed it to pay for school next year. However, I'm still waiting for that call from the company I actually want to work for. I know it's coming, but it's just a question of when. So I won't have to quit this stupid job when I do get the call, but I have nothing to suppliment my income in the mean time. Crap.

But as a good friend told me today, "It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. They are unorganized and not a good company to work for anyway. Just let it go or you're letting them win."

I'm trying, but I'm still angry. I did everything right. I didn't lie about the other job to get this one. I worked as hard as I could for them despite knowing that it was probably a transition job. And to top it all off, I probably would have tried to work something out before quitting, had I gotten the call from the job I really wanted. And STILL it's not good enough. Good guys always finish last.

It's for the best, but it still sucks.