Please Stop As-Sale-ing Our Troops

(My husband is graduating from military training. I’ve known some time in advance about the date of the graduation, but because of a sale that day where I work, I am not allowed to take the day off. I do leave several notes with management not to schedule me, but, sure enough, I am scheduled to work that day. I make one last-ditch effort to reschedule by talking to my manager.)

Manager: ‘Why didn’t you ask for this day off in advance?”

Me: “I tried, but I wasn’t allowed to because of the sale.”

Manager: “What do you need it off for again?”

Me: “My husband is graduating from his military training, and this is the only opportunity I’ve had or will have to see him in months. I’ve already made my travel arrangements, so you can either let me find someone to cover it now, or I have to call out that day and leave the shift uncovered.”

Manager: *sighs* “Can you get them to move it?”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Manager: “Can you get them to move the graduation?”

Me: “You want me to call the Department of [Military Branch] and get them to move his graduation so it won’t conflict with a sale? I can’t do that. There’s about a thousand other people graduating that day. They won’t move the graduation for the sale.”

Manager: “You won’t know until you try!”

Me: *speechless*