Success isn’t always pretty

by kevinpotter on November 17, 2008

 My wife and I had just had a child and we had butt loads of debt, like $56,000 dollars worth, so working for myself right after 9/11 was not working out. I had been doing tradework for a real nice store  but was sorta hesitant to ask for a job because I had heard the guy was tough to work for.  Well leme tell ya, this  guy was nuts. My dad is a retired marine and a real hard ass, but this fella took it to new levels.

I have never worked so hard in all my life. I would get to work at 6 and work till 10 at night seven days a week and this guy worked them with me – it was unreal. I made so much money we are talkin’ six digits here. I paid off all of our debt in 5 months. I was starting to lose my mind though. I used to pray that my wife would not call to ask why I wasn’t home yet because we were not allowed to use the phone -not for any reason and I mean that literally, not even death. I use to ask if when we got caught up if we could get a day off and he said that he had never caught up not in 40 years of doing this. My 2 weeks paid vacation were literally that 2 weeks extra pay – my wife and our son went on vacation with out me, they celebrated my birthday with out me, heck I worked till 9:00pm Christmas eve. I did get Christmas day off.

If you were sick you went to work. If you didn’t show up he would come and get you so you might as well show up. The only time I saw anyone get away with being sick is when the jeweler in front of me escaped while the boss was in the bathroom.  The boss came out and said were the hell is he?  I told him that he was in a lot of pain and went to the hospital. He took off and chased the poor bastard down. He found him at the emergency room, the doctors threatend to call the labor board if he didn’t allow him time to recover. 

This store is amazing – they have a JBT rating of A21.  A little perspective, that’s what Tiffany’s and Cartier have. We had diamonds up to 16 carats in stock. The average sale was $30,000 bucks, the pressure was unreal, breaking something was unthinkable.  We were not allowed to talk to each other, but occasionally there was a moment. The jeweler who sat in front of me told me about a store he once worked at in the mall, and how he could listen to the radio and snack in the food court and how nothing he worked on was worth much so it was low stress. I used to day dream about the place when I would be slavin away for the man. I decided to go a buy a real expensive car so that I would be so saddeled with debt that I couldn’t quit. I went to the porche dealer one  evening when I got off early, like at seven and I checked out the 911s and the boxers, then it dawned on me I could quit then I wouldn’t have to buy this car and then I could maybe get off the anxiety meds and not have to work every freaken moment of the day.

Now you are all thinkin I went to work the next day and told the boss were to stick it. Na I just sucked it up and stuck with it even though the panic attacks were starting to become a problem, not to mention the damm hemmorhoids you get from sitting 16 hours a day and the carpal tunnel was getting so bad I could no longer feel my hands. I was taking handfuls of asprin just to get out of bed.

He used to yell at us everyday and we would take bets about who would get it first. We used to call him John Deere. I was the south 40 and the other jeweler was the North 40. We’d say, “whose field is gonna get fertilized today?”

Well the night before, we had worked till midnight and the jeweler in front of me had chipped a half carater and he asked me if he should tell him tonight or wait until morning. I believe in delaying pain, so I said please wait till morning, I don’t think I can take it tonight. So we agreed and decided to put off our ass pounding till morning. Next morning bright and early I knew who was going to get the pounding, so I was kinda relaxed knowing that it was not going to be me. I knew we would both get it, but mine would just be residual hate, not the full-on rage that the other guy was gonna get.

Well there we are, just sitting, getting our benches set up and here he comes. He is smoking a cigarette,  drinking some coffee and holding a job envelope. Can’t tell who’s it is, but I was pretty sure its not mine so I keep my head down and try to look busy. He says ” you guys would tell me if you broke somthing right?” we both mumble uh ha, “You wouldn’t try and decieve me in any way would you?” I am thinkin “hell no I wouldnt tell you. I would put coal between my butt cheeks and try to squeeze out a diamond before I told you.” I nod “uh ha” in unison with the other jeweler. Now, at this point I am thinkin “how in the world did he find out about that stone, did he sleep here?” Bam! Right across my face I get hit with the envelope. Then he is on me – my tools go flyin’. It is not supposed to be my turn. I didn’t break anything. He grabs the envelope and shows the ring to me that I had been paveing 2 pointers into, and he tells me that one has a chip.  He continues to yell and scream, but at this point I don’t hear him. I just hear “wa wa wa wa wa,” and I am thinking I really hate this guy. I just stood up and walked around him. He kept yelling. I didn’t look back. Eye on the prize -the door to freedom is just ahead. The sales guy salutes as I walk past, the security guard opens the door and says quietly,  “It’s about time someone gets some balls around here.”

kevinpotter

kevinpotter

kevinpotter

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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Nel Bringsjord November 19, 2008 at 9:59 pm

Bwa-ha-ha-ha! I can’t stop laughing long enough to write….good job! Ha haha ha ha….ha ha ha …ha….
a piece of coal…ha ha haaaa ha….door to freedom ha ha ha. It’s good you go out! I wonder if he ever found out about the half carat…ha ha h a aaaa ha…

Tina November 19, 2008 at 8:34 pm

Man I love your blogs !

Helen Hill November 19, 2008 at 6:23 am

Kevin, you had me doing laugh-out-loud belly laughs with the coal between the butt cheeks and squeeze out a diamond line! Hilarious! You went through hell, but at least the debt’s gone. Looking forward to the next installment.
Helen Hill

steve mashburn November 18, 2008 at 1:19 pm

way to go dude!!! we all do what we gotta do… and you did it.

craig dabler November 18, 2008 at 12:43 pm

Kevin,

You have got talent! Writing short stories is your thing! I could’nt stop reading this and I’ve heard it all before.

I can’t wait for the next one,

Craig

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