Campfyre Stories

… let’s do another FOAD.

FOAD to retail salespeople who don’t have the time (or don’t care to put in the effort) to removing the security tags from clothing.  If it weren’t a gift for my father that you left the tag on, I probably wouldn’t have been quite so upset, but considering that YOUR inability to do your job fully caused the cuffs of the sleeves to RIP on his birthday gift, you get a big ol’ FOAD.

Don’t get me wrong, I know full well that retail is a thankless job.  I know you get paid peanuts and probably get treated like dirt by both the management and the customers, but consider this:  When you do a good job, you are more likely to get treated better, get pay raises and get promoted.  Doing a BAD job gets you one step closer to fired.  Had I realized BEFORE I left the store, I would have lodged an official complaint.  As it stands, all I can really do is wish you ill.

FOAD to all the people who deride people who VOTE.  I don’t care who you are, but I’ll be goddamned if I’m going to let someone who wasn’t even born or raised here tell me that I should "think very carefully about whether or not I’m going to leave work (on time) to go and VOTE.  FOAD, and by the way, if you don’t like the way we handle government, why not just go home while you’re at it?

FOAD to non-parents who assume, simply because they don’t have children of their own that children should NOT be a priority in the lives of their parents.  I don’t know or care WHY you don’t have children, but to assume that because you’ve not got a family that I’m going to sacrifice mine for a short-term contract that does NOT further my career is not only foolish, it’s out and out WRONG.  I firmly believe that parental issues (like Parent-Teacher conferences) should have the same rules applied to them as jury duty and/or voting.  You should legally be able to take (UNPAID) time off to handle matters pertaining to your own children.  You should never have to choose between your child’s well being and a steady paycheck.  Trust me, I know this from (recent) experience.

FOAD to the 18 year old who thinks he knows what’s best for everyone.  You are PROUD of the fact that you voted and I would give you props for that if you hadn’t followed it up with "I don’t even know who I voted for, but I voted."  No you didn’t.  You didn’t vote.  All you did was go into a voting booth and play with the levers.  Voting implies that you actually made a choice, but by your own admission you just played with the levers.  Stop being so lazy, stop being so full of yourself.  Stop and think and maybe, just maybe, you’ll learn the difference.

And finally, a great, big FOAD to everyone who thinks that their ample free time is more precious than my barely existent free time.  If you’re going to rely on me to make all of the effort and then get upset that I haven’t done it, you might first consider that I leave my house at 6am and get home (at best) around 6 or 7pm.  I have to take painkillers to sleep through the night, have a child, TRY to retain some semblance of a social life with those who put in any amount of effort.  I may not make calls very often anymore, but I certainly return them.  I didn’t call you and your feelings are hurt.  FOAD for getting petty about it without even making the slightest attempt.

BAH!