February 15, 2012
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Valentine's Day; survived
Being a part-time florist for the past 6 years I've developed a special dread for Vday. This year was the same in a lot of ways and different at the same time. Sure, I worked 31 hours from Monday Feb 13- Feb 14 (not to mention Saturday and Sunday before that), but my time was split between 2 shops this year!
My best friend from the old, crazy shop quit in October and got her own store up and running just 3 weeks ago. I took Mon & Tues off from my regular office job to help her in her shop. I told the owner of the old, crazy flower shop that I wasn't able to get out of work (I didn't say which one). So I did 9-5 at her shop and then 5-1am at the other place. I kind of like having a secret job from my other secret part-time job.
My friend ended up getting a lot of business for a store that is so new and unknown. We got everything done quickly and efficiently and worked together well as a team. It was delightful, busy, and fun.
The other shop is much more high volume. Because the owner managed to run all of the former employees off by being an asshole and not paying us, etc etc., this is the first time he has had to actually "run" his own shop on a major holiday. He took very little of my advice and the entire operation collapsed into a screaming nightmare of inefficiency and pissed-off customers.
When I arrived around 7pm on Valentine's Day, many orders had not only not been delivered yet, but not even MADE, nee not even PULLED OFF THE COMPUTER. Amazing fail. The dude's excuse was that the other designer didn't show up (her bf rammed his car into hers...wtf) and he was distracted by the cops showing up at the store 3 times that day (actually not that unusual).
I had to laugh. Talk about making your bed and the laying in it. I tore through the last 20 or so arrangements for the win in record time. Around 9 or 10 o'clock one of the scads of temporary workers hired for the rush was sent to the liquor store. I guess you know it's all gone to shit when instead of sending out for Applebees like the night before, we just went straight to booze. While the street urchins hired to "work" on putting delivery confirmations in the computer did shots of tequila, I nursed my own 6-pack of Hoegaarden in lieu of dinner with my new friend-- a convict on work release from prison. I don't even care about all those tattoos on his neck, he is actually a pretty nice kid and the best temp worker we had. I wonder what he did.....
And that was my Valentine's Day. Not exactly what you see in those FTD, Teleflora, and 1-800 Flowers commercials, is it?
Comments (4)
You're lucky you can have secret jobs! We have to fill out paperwork at my office if we are employed anywhere else, or even want to start out own freelance work on the side.
@atypicalindividual - I should too.... I just don't want to, hence "secret"
You should turn the above into a script and sell it to Hollywood. Starring Justgotspaid as herself, Collin Farrell as the ex-con, with a special appearance by Hoegaarden and 5 of his closest friends. With corporate sponsorship from Patron and THE OTHER flower shop.
@Saferia - ba ha ha ha! Good call on the Collin Farrell thing-- he really did kind of look like him
Your psychic powers amaze me. I would love to star in a movie or sitcom or reality show of the shop. It's crazy enough.
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