I work in a factory that produces revolving doors, access gates, turnstiles, etc. I was put there through a temp agency, although there isn’t really an end date, and they can definitely use all help available on the factory floor for the time being. I certainly can use the work as another job just ended and I need the money.

I spend most of my day cutting aluminum and steel profiles to lengths and angles, cutting sheet aluminum and steel, and supplying the CNC machine with material to work on. It is fun working there, the colleagues are great, they have nice benefits, the work itself is enjoyable and challenging enough, and they put on nice radio stations — a huge perk, in my opinion.

Then, I start getting called into the office by [Manager] every few days where I’m given “warnings” wrapped in “helpful advice” wrapping paper.

Manager: “I see you’ve filled up your waste bin already. You might want to try and plan your profile cuts better so we don’t throw away as much.”

All the profiles and cuts are calculated by the computer so there is as little waste as possible. I also have proposed to colleagues to set aside profiles long enough that they can still be used in future products and can still be handled by the machine. The advice isn’t applicable, and I’ve amicably let [Manager] know. It’s been disregarded.

Manager: *Urgently* “You might want to work faster. I see that the painting and coating department regularly has to wait for your work to arrive before they can continue working.”

They’ve had to wait because the machines regularly break or clog while one or more of my carts with profiles is waiting for them to be worked on. The advice isn’t applicable and I’ve plainly let him know. It’s been disregarded.

Manager: *Irritably* “You take too many breaks during the day. Where are you going all this time?”

When I started the job, I informed [Manager] that I have irritable bowels and need to use the restroom more often on some days, and I always let colleagues know where I am, so I explain it to him again. The “helpful advice” wrapping is starting to tear and the manager starts to huff.

Manager: “Well, do something about it, or we might have a problem.”

This all takes place within the same week, and I am getting annoyed. I have a hunch that they are looking for a reason to let me go. There aren’t as many orders coming in anymore.

Finally, the wrapping paper comes off.

Manager: “I’ve had you in my office three times this week already. Can you explain yourself?”

Me: “I think I already have. I’ve taken in the advice, but I’ve already explained that I can’t really do anything about what you’ve spoken to me about. And as far as I know, there haven’t been any warnings or write-ups, so if I’m in trouble, I would like to know what for, and I would prefer to have it in writing so I can discuss it with my temp agency.”

Manager: “You’re trying to be much too smart about this, and you need to do as you’re told. If you don’t want to be a team player in this, you might want to find different employment.”

For the record, my team is great, compliments me regularly, and values my suggestions and improvements, and we’ve regularly had a great laugh together.

Me: “I understand what you’re saying. Is there anything else?”

Manager: “No, just get back to work.”

It takes him less than half a day to call me back in.

Manager: “I’ve decided to discontinue your contract. You were contracted to work here until [two months later], but your attitude toward me and the work is sub-par, and that is grounds for dismissal.”

While a temp contract gives some protection, it isn’t binding and it can be dissolved without the reasons you’d normally need for an employment termination. It makes the whole matter more ridiculous because [Manager] was looking for reasons to fire me, didn’t find any, made some up, and didn’t even bother formalizing them, while all that wasn’t even necessary. He could just have said, “That’s all, folks,” and let me go on Friday.

Manager: “You can finish your week by working today and tomorrow, and then you can turn in your stuff.”

I am pissed. I have a temp job, which is a liability, so I’ve been doing my best, and I’m still getting fired. I would’ve easily forgiven a company for letting go of temps when orders plummeted, but making excuses and blaming me is actually hurtful, and it doesn’t help the state I’m in.

I decide to turn it around; I might as well leave on a high note. I’m a professional drummer (but don’t make enough income from that). I always joke about the concrete factory hall and how it would make an amazing reverbing room to drum in and that I’ve put doing that on my bucket list.

So, on the last day of my employment, I go on my break, but I skip the cafeteria, go to my car, back it into the bay, take out my drums, which are already set up for the most part, set them up on the factory floor, and start banging the h*** out of them. Of course, I play a musical solo, but I don’t exactly hold back, and the room just comes alive. It’s like a tremendous arena, and the floor quickly fills up with colleagues who obviously heard the ruckus sitting in the cafeteria.

My teammates start clapping and headbanging, grab sticks from my stick bag, and join in. [Manager] stands in front, trying his best to use his stern “you are in so much trouble” expression. But I see a twinkle in his eyes, and he can’t resist a slight smirk. I don’t think he ever expected this to happen.

I end on a flourish with sticks flying in the air and applause from my colleagues. They help me carry the drums back to my car and ask whether I have any gigs coming up. [Manager] comes up to me with the same stern-ish expression.

Manager: “It might be best if you went home for the day. That all right with you?”

I didn’t mind losing half a day of pay, and I was done with the place anyway, so I agreed and went home after shaking some hands and saying goodbye.

Payday came and no money was shorted, and as [Manager] was directly responsible for checking my hours — which I’d submitted half a day short — it told me that he probably wasn’t really the one to blame for having to let me go and he didn’t mind my little stunt.

Some colleagues dropped by one of my gigs a week after and told me they’d even put up a picture of me going nuts on the drums in the cafeteria. I’m just happy that that’s the part of me that stuck from that job.

I was editing a video for a client and sent a demo version for approval. I’d used an audio track someone else had made. I thought it fit the video nicely and figured the client would sign off on it. The only problem was that because it was a demo of the track, it had an audio watermark; every now and then, the track would say, “Audio network.”

Client: “What’s with this song? The talking is really distracting.”

Me: “It’s a watermark. When we purchase the track, we’ll get a version without it.”

Client: “Well, go ahead and buy it so we don’t have that talking.”

I purchased the track and resent the video with the un-watermarked song.

Client: “I don’t like this song. Can we get a new one?”

I work in a small store where we play music from the boss’s radio. 

Customer: “This is a nice song! Who is it by?”

Me: “This song is called Ever Fallen In Love. The band is called Fine Young Cannibals.”

The religious customer stopped mouthing the words, froze, crossed herself, and then quickly finished her shopping while trying to cover one or both ears.

I came in for a quick three-hour shift for the dinner rush on Christmas Eve. Things were pretty slow but we had several timed orders for 4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 5:00, etc.

I took a couple of normal deliveries, and people were being a little generous, having a good time.

I grabbed a normal bag, a 4:15 timed order that was several large pies with a $91 cash pay, and a 4:30 timed order that was another cash order of two full sheets, and I rushed out the door on my trip.

The ticket didn’t say the 4:15 order was at a church; I only noticed that when I put the address into my GPS.

I got there on time, and they asked me to wait as they were finishing singing a song. The place had a full congregation and a live band with a singer… and I thought I was just waiting for whoever had the cash to pay to come out after the song was over. And, I gotta admit, I was getting a little ticked I was made to wait when it would make the next delivery a few minutes late.

But they asked me to go inside and take the bag up to the stage! As I was unloading, the preacher started thanking me and all food service personnel for working on Christmas Eve in front of the entire congregation. This felt all very strange, to say the least, because here I was in the spotlight in front of everyone.

But he asked if he could say a quick sermon. He said that the spirit of Christmas was about giving, announced they were giving me a $500 tip, and handed over an envelope!

Totally shocked and embarrassed, I managed to say thank you and that I appreciated it, hopefully, loud enough that most could hear, and with my head swimming, I followed a lady to the door.

I completed my other delivery and got back to the shop still dumbfounded. I asked the manager how many people were employed there, and he said twelve. I told him what had happened and asked that he split the $500 with everyone.

At close, they wanted me to take $100 of the $500, and we all were still super surprised about what had happened.

Merry Christmas, indeed.

It’s the Christmas season. I happen to be humming “Sleigh Ride” as I ring up a customer.

Customer: “I’m glad you’re still able to sing Christmas songs. That means you haven’t snapped yet.”