I was so happy about it, and I liked the flexibility and freedom of the job, as it was a field position. However, my car died on the first day of training, and when I say it died, I mean it was completely dead – unmovable. Like I said, this was back in about Feb. of this year, before God blessed me with the current set of wheels.

I managed to hook up a ride to all the training, and because the job description and educational materials said it could be done via public transportation, I did just that.

I got terminated three weeks later because my crew leader attempted to cover her patootie by telling the field supervisor that the reason for the number of hours I had was because I didn’t have a car. In other words, instead of telling him that she never assisted me when I asked for help with the boundary issues that arose due to a newly renovated landscape, she claimed it my hours accrued were more because I had no car.

Meanwhile, I had a street missing a street sign, which I couldn’t identify as part of my boundary, and another street entirely gone, which was supposed to be the other boundary. It had been replaced by 3 new buildings as the entire area was growing and expanding.

Her job was to assist me, which included coming down to the area as necessary to assist me in determining my boundary area for canvassing if there was a problem. She never did this because she herself didn’t have a car.

So she ratted me out to save herself. The supervisor canned me with little explanation, and I filed an EEO complaint. This resulted in a reversal of the termination action, my name being put back on their hiring list, and my subsequent rehire now.

So this week, I was helping them out by coming in on the morning shift to fill in for the receptionist. My job is actually supposed to be a 3-11:30 shift, and I had told them that I needed this first week to make arrangements for my son.

While sitting at the receptionist desk, a thought occurred to me. What happened to the crew leader and supervisor I filed the EEO against. Even the guy hired for the receptionist asked me that during training. I told him I didn’t know, but it wasn’t relevant to me whether they were still there or not.

So while sitting there at the desk, I just had this thought that the supervisor was still there and that I was going to encounter him while in this position. I had never seen him, nor met him prior. I had only had a phone contact while in the field.

Meanwhile, I finally erased his and the crew leader’s number from my phone on my second day at the receptionist desk. Later that afternoon, this man walks in and I got up to let him in. Immediately I thought, ‘This is him. I just know it.’ He fit exactly the impression I had of this supervisor from his voice on the phone and the name, and he was greeting me and smiling.

Sure enough, as he started signing his name, there it was; he was the uncaring field supervisor that had fired me before, without giving me an opportunity to explain any issues or discrepancies. As a matter of fact, he told me specifically that he didn’t care what the manuals said about using public transportation. He just wasn’t having it. If you didn’t have a car, you couldn’t work for him.

So you know that a bunch of thoughts ran through my head as he was standing in front of me…you know, things you think you might want to say, like, “You don’t remember me do you?” or “Remember that single mom that was trying so hard to keep the job, that you fired simply because her car broke down? The one that filed that EEO against you? Well guess what, homeboy!” (And I’d have one of those crazed mad looks like Marlon Wayans)

I mean to tell you that all these spiteful thoughts entered my head, and there was this side of me that wanted so badly to flaunt it in his face that despite his best efforts, I had won, and had gotten rehired. Believe me, I had to put some serious brakes on myself and repress those thoughts.

After all, what would it profit me? How would it help me, better my position or keep me in good graces with all the other managers if I reacted instead of responded, and went after him vengefully?

Oh sure, there’d be some mild satisfaction, but that would be momentary and short-lived. Long term? I don’t see where I’d benefit, so I left it alone. I figure it’s probably best that he doesn’t remember me. For all I know, he could be instrumental in helping me move up if I forgive and forget.

Sometimes people forget that the tongue is the most dangerous weapon they have, and if they’d just learn some self-control and be quiet sometimes, half of their problems would disappear. Most people, by means of running their mouths or being to flip with it, bring their own disaster and invite chaos into their lives.