Dogs Can Only Do Tricks If You Show Them How

I had been unemployed for about three months when I got hired at a movie theatre. It was just hourly, so I got unemployment, as well.

On my first shift without supervision, the power went out. It came back rather quickly because of the generators, but the registers didn’t work. It was during the day, so there were not many visitors.

My coworker left me with a bunch of papers with prices of the concession but no explanation of how and what to do with them. Customers wanted to buy stuff, and I had no idea what to do.

Eventually, text came up on the screen but I had no idea what it meant. The rest of the staff were gathered around the computer at the entrance to the theaters, so I excused myself from the customers and went over to ask what I was supposed to do and how.

The boss looked at me and pointed to the registers.

Boss: *Sharply* “Register!”

It was in a tone where I felt like a dog being told to go lay down.

Me: “But I don’t know what to do. And there’s some weird text on the screen.”

I continued to explain, and eventually, [Boss] came over and looked at it. She did something, and then the registers started to work. I felt so downgraded and hurt by her way of speaking to me that I was ready to leave then and there, but I would not get unemployment if I did, so I stuck out.

I was there for about five years. I became a manager within a year and a half and began training new employees within a year.

What eventually made me quit was when [Boss] called me on her way home one evening during my break.

Boss: “You overstaffed us on [shift]!”

Me: “But I’m not responsible for scheduling.”

We were told to look over schedules at weekends, but during the week, it was the office’s job. I was not an office employee. But for some reason, it was my fault this time.

Every time I tried to say something, she would cut me off, place words in my mouth, and just yell to the point that I started to cry. She didn’t even have the decency to come to talk to me at work but called me when she had left. It was so messed up.

Within two months, I had a new job. I gave my four weeks’ notice, which I used during my vacation, so I just left, had four weeks of bliss, and then started a new adventure.