My Position at Macy's

“Hi Joe this is Macys. I’m wondering if you could call me back so we can talk about your position here at Macys. Thanks.”

In the middle of Walmart my stomach knotted and I felt hot. I covered my mouth, with the fear of the Subway sandwich I had for lunch reappearing on the floor in front of me. I listened to the message again, hearing my manager repeat “your position” with more menace. It was as if the volume increased by ten fold.

“What is it?” My mother asked.

“I’m getting fired. I’m getting fired and I only worked three days.” I had to call them back, had to find out if I was fired or not. So I stepped outside, hid in my car, twiddled my thumbs and called them back.

But first lets back up two days. Friday night, I found myself sitting in the darkened black box of my old high school watching my favorite play being preformed by all my little theatre babies. The play was “The Glass Menagerie” by the ever great Tennessee Williams. I mean how could you hate him he wrote “Streetcar Named Desire” hello. I was a little apprehensive to see this performance, being an old Theatre alum myself I was the lead in “Our Town” two years ago and lets just say that was…

But this performance was different, more intimate in a way. Maybe because I read “The Glass Menagerie” a few months ago and wrote a script analysis of it so I knew the work like the back of my hand. It was stunning and I only wish I could’ve taken you, my dear readers, with me. I even teared up a little bit.

That night I came home and logged back on to my OkCupid account. I sent out three messages and only one came back. He’s 6’2, lives in Tampa and is a gamer. We’ve been talking ever since and he’s handsome, smart and funny . We like the same things, which led me to wonder if we were the same person.

Fast-forward two days to me, sitting in my car in the Walmart parking lot. “Hi. This is Joe. I just got a phone call from you guys?”

“Oh, yes Joe. How are you doing are you okay?”

“Yes. I feel fabulous. Thank you for asking.”

“Well we just haven’t seen you in awhile. You were supposed to work last Monday.”

“I was? Are you sure I check my online schedule every morning. It didn’t say anything about Monday.”

My manager takes a pause and clicks her tongue. I hear papers rustling in the background. “You know… I am so tired of this… you are the fifteenth person who got the wrong schedule.”

“If I was supposed to work I would’ve came in for sure,” I say.

“No you’re right. My paper work says one thing but you’re reading something else. You’re right. All right, Joe I’m sorry to bother you.”

“No its okay! I work Tuesday and Wednesday next week.”

“Yes I see that. All right see you then.”

I hung up and took a deep breath. I’m not getting fired….

Today at least.