It’s Back-Breaking Work

(I am riding a client’s horse and fall off. I break my back and am not really able to move or even stand due to the pain. It’s about 45 minutes before I’m due in for a retail shift. I call in to the store while literally laying in the dirt. A coworker answers the phone.)

Coworker: “Hello, this is [Store].”

Me: “Hi, [Coworker], this is [My Name]. Can I talk to [Boss]?”

(My boss is notably impossible to talk to on the phone, so she gives me the standard employee answer.)

Coworker: “She’s unavailable right now. What did you need?”

Me: “I just fell off a horse and can’t come in to work, as I’ll be heading to the ER. I was supposed to be in at noon.”

(It’s 11:30.)

Coworker: *blasé* “Okay, I’ll pass the message along.” *hangs up*

(About an hour later, my boss calls:)

Boss: “Hey, [My Name]. So, what happened?”

Me: “I fell off a horse and I can’t really move anything without pain. I’m heading to the ER for x-rays, so I won’t be in at all today.”

Boss: “Oh… but I have an appointment this afternoon; I have to leave at four! You won’t be in at all?”

(I am usually the closing manager on that night and my boss leaves at four.)

Me: “No, probably not.”

Boss: “Oh… um… Who do you think we can call? Do you think [Coworker #2] can come in?”

Me: “Up to you.”

Boss: “Well, I don’t think he can close. [Coworker #3] can’t come in, and I don’t want [Coworker #4] to close… Do you think [Coworker #5] could handle it?”

Me: “I don’t know. Maybe?”

Boss: “Um… Well, I really can’t stay. I have to make it to my appointment, and I can’t cancel.”

Me: “Yeah, sorry.”

Boss: “Okay, um… I guess I’ll call [Coworker #3] and see if he can come in. And I guess I’ll ask [Coworker #1] if she can stay late.”

Me: “All right, sounds good.”

Boss: “…”

Me: “They’re going to try and move me to the car now, so I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Boss: “Oh! Yeah, um… I hope you’re okay!”

(I was out of work for six weeks… and came back to six weeks of work piled to the ceiling back in my area. I still never figured out why I needed to be consulted on staff options while I was laying in the dirt with a fractured back.)