Fuel

What is going on! Why are gas prices so high? Will we ever get a break? The sad thing is it’s only going to get worse. Sure the majority of the world will be ok, but what about the poor people? I’m not talking middle class people that think they are poor, I’m talking really poor. I think anyone that makes less than $12,000.00 a year should be considered poor. I know; I am now one of those people. This is my story.

I worked as a waitress for almost 12 years and I thought that it was hard to get by making around $20,000.00. Boy was I wrong! I gave up the food business and tried to find a better job. I was so excited when I got a call from one of the biggest retailers in the world. I thought benefits, good pay, full time hours, I thought things were going to finally turn around. My husband was working for the same company already, and he was doing great, he loved it. I loved the work but I was in a totally new environment, so I was nervous but keeping positive.

At first, I didn’t really think about what I was trading up for. I was just so happy to finally have a REAL job. No more grits, eggs or coffee. I went to work every day happy, giving my all to the customers and my 110% to the job. I got my check and I was really a little disappointed when I first seen it, but I stayed positive and told myself it will get better. I thought I can work more hours and things will be ok. I just had to adjust.

Then all of a sudden, little by little my hours were changing around, my days off were crazy. Insurance and benefits were not immediately ready for part time employees and that really upset me. I was willing to work more hours and even over time, but it wasn’t allowed. Now I was missing my old job. The Old Faithful waitress job. It was kind of ironic to me now, because some of my customers at my waitress job were management employees of the company I now work for. I looked at them as having this great job and life and now I see why they would always tip very well. Of course, the upper management in the Retail Company was above me, the waitress, financially, but little did I know it’s ONLY the management in the company that can tip well. They get most of the full time positions. Now, here I am working in a place where I am now below the waitress, financially. I am now just a cashier.