Rant Rage (Warning: Not Funny, Language, Somewhat Boring, Read Only If You Have Nothing Better To Do)

I was helping a new-hire troubleshoot some pesky cash register quirks. An annoying task that pops up every once in a while. Nothing really note-worthy about the situation, other than I was 15 minutes past my break time. My boss would soon walk by. “Hey _____,  can you zone?”

“Sure.” I replied. “Which section?”

“Everywhere.” This is a request managers ask of lazy and incompetent employees.

Let me say this: I have a bum knee. No, I’m not complaining. In fact, I don’t demand to be treated differently than anyone else. I consider myself a hard work and work just as hard as everyone else in electronics. More so, at points because I’m willing to do the mundane tasks no one else wants to (usually things that involve lots of walking). I can and do take a lot of abuse, both physical and mental.

I’m not asking to be rewarded with stock or money or pussy, though all that would be nice. All I’m asking is for some recognition for a job well done. It’s a small gesture that doesn’t cost anything (a fact I’m sure Derp-Mart is pleased to know.). Not only am I not receiving anything for my contributions but you’re insinuating that I’m not doing anything, that I’m a lazy or bad worker. And that really grinds me gears.

Especially since I’m the only associate that has our entire movie and most of our games catalog memorized. While other workers fumble with our paper inventory list and playing Where’s Waldo with where movies are located, I can tell  customers not only if we have their particular movie but also where it’s located and for most movies, if we have it in stock. More often than not, associates just relay inventory-related questions to me if I’m in the area. And it’s a skill that can only come about through an incredible memory along with lots of restocking. I’m always moving, something you’d hardly expect someone with bone fragments floating around in his knee.

The cherry on top of this $#@! Sundae is that I’m the only college-educated electronics associate, working more hours (full-time with no benefits) than we agreed on for far less money than I requested. And I’m one of two black people in the department and the only one who isn’t a baby-daddy, so I deserve mad props for breaking stereotypes. You’ve got a near-genius for pennies more than minimum wage and you can’t even realize that. So shape up. Otherwise you can go clone yourself so you can go f*** yourself