Too Bad These Bad Apples Didn’t Fling Themselves Further From The Tree

This was my first full-time job. I’d had a lot of jobs before this one, but this was my first official full-time job after high school. The owner had a good head on his shoulders and he understood that having good employees is part of having a successful business.

After I’d worked at the company for a few years, the owner brought his sons into the company so they could learn about it and start taking over some of the daily aspects of things. This would have been just fine, but the two boys were entitled jerks. They always had something snarky to say about the employees and assumed everything being done was against them and the company. The employees didn’t like them, but we put up with them because we were still working there.

One day, my supervisor and I were having a warehouse meeting with the other six or seven employees working there. We were all standing in a circle, talking about some change coming up that we all needed to be aware of. My supervisor and I were stressing how important it is to COUNT everything that ships to us, especially with boxes that show up through two major shipping companies, and to immediately move them to our receiving area where customers aren’t allowed. (A few days before this meeting, one of the warehouse guys had signed for [number] boxes from [Shipping Company] and left the boxes at the dock. When the boxes were finally moved sometime later, we were short a box, and its contents were worth almost a grand.)

As we were going over things, one of the owner’s sons walked past us to go to the vending machines, and he heard part of the conversation. He made his purchase and, upon walking back, he caught the end of my supervisor explaining how things could easily walk off when we signed for packages and didn’t bring them back to receiving right away.

Owner’s Son: “It was probably one of you guys that stole it.”

All of us just stopped our meeting and stared at him, slack-jawed, as he walked away.

I looked at my supervisor.

Me: “Did I hear him right? Did he just basically accuse us all of being thieves?”

Supervisor: “That’s exactly what I heard.”

Coworker: “If that’s how he really sees us, as thieves, we might as well not let him down and start taking everything.”

A murmur of agreement went around the other warehouse crew.

Supervisor: “All right… All right, everyone. I know it sounds like he’s basically calling all of us thieves, but let’s not stoop to his level by supporting his twisted thoughts. Just keep up the good work and ignore what he said to you guys.”

Here’s a second stupid comment that that same son said to me and the warehouse employees. I don’t recall the context of his comment, but I won’t forget it.

Owner’s Son: “This is just a basic warehouse job. All of you are replaceable, and anyone we bring in for less could do this job.”

I tend to be a jerk and tell people how it is, so I made sure to comment back.

Me: “If this work is so easy and we are easily replaceable and anyone can do the work, how about you show us how it’s done? We’ll watch and take notes.”

The owner’s son got really red in the face, turned, and stomped away.

The other son wasn’t any better. He made accusations about employees and would try to threaten us by imposing his power/position in the company to bully us into submission. Most people buckled and gave in to his temper tantrums, but after he tried to bully me a couple of times and I stood my ground each time, he never spoke to me like a spoiled brat again. The owner was such a nice guy; I don’t understand why his two boys were such a**holes. I don’t miss that place and I’m glad I no longer work there.