Unable To Drive The Economics Of The Situation Home

(My vehicle has just gone out of commission due to an accident, and relatives that I live with have a conflicting schedule with mine, so I can’t get a ride into work. I phone in explaining the situation. I live about ten minutes, highway time, out of town, but my job is on the outskirts.)

Me: “I won’t be able to make it in. My vehicle is still out of order, but I should have it good to go by tomorrow.”

Manager: “I really need you in for tonight, though.”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I literally have no means to show up for work. I’m phoning to hopefully give you as much notice as possible.”

Manager: “I can just send a taxi.”

(Taxis have special “out of town” fees, making it cost around $80 for each trip.)

Me: “You realise the price of the taxi, each way, is going to be almost as much as you’d be paying me for the day… Right?”

Manager: “What about it?”

Me: “At this point, it’d just be cheaper just to get somebody else. If you can give me triple my pay without batting an eye, all of us are being underpaid.”

Manager: “Well, it’ll be fine.”

Me: “I refuse to see double my pay be used just to bring me in. It’d be cheaper to get somebody to work overtime or get somebody else.”

Manager: “So, you’re not coming in?”