Workin' It (collection of short stories) - (TBA)
 
Tis The Season - Part I

 
Here it is January 5, 2003.  The day before I am to start my second job. Twelve long weeks of three hour classes twice a week.  Since week one we had been asking the same question, "What is the pay?"
 
And week in and week out the answer was, "We pay a hourly wage plus a bonus at the end of tax season."
 
It sounded much better than it actually turned out to be. I had given up my free evenings for twelve whole weeks for this.  I was a little skeptical from the beginning, but I choose to ignore that little voice - - my inner voice.
 
Then on top of that I listened to my girlfriend Kellie, who hadn't even signed up for the tax class.  Telling me about how she had heard that you can make close to twenty grand being a part-time tax preparer. I knew it sounded too good to be true. Twenty grand working from January to April 15th - - part-time.
 
I was a little insulted and furious once I learned what the actual pay would be.  The owner had agreed to make my starting pay fifty cents higher than his usual hourly rate.  A whole fifty cents more and I was still barely above minimum wage.
 
Once I signed my agreement to work for R & P tax service I went to see Kellie.  On the drive over I kept repeating to myself, "I am now a professional tax preparer with R & P tax service.
 
What a joke.
 
Once I arrived at Kellie's apartment, I couldn't even bring myself to tell her what my actual pay would be.  My pride was usually my greatest strength or weakness.  And in this case I wasn't sure which it would actually turn out to be.
 
January 6th
 
I arrived fifteen minutes early to give myself time to get settled in.  It wasn't expected to be busy until later in the month.  But the manager, Mr. Wallace had put a few of us on the schedule just in case.
 
I was scheduled to work with and get assistance from Tameka.  She had been working part-time for R & P tax service for three years now.  I wondered what her story was.  I didn't dare ask her though.  I figured she'd reveal her story before tax season was over.
 
"Do you remember how to get into the tax program?" Tameka asked.
 
"Yes, I do.  And I have my notes from the meeting here in case I forget."  I replied.
 
"Good,  let me know if you have any questions.  And just so you know.  Don't even worry about all that stuff they covered at that policies & procedures meeting last week." Tameka said.
 
"What do you mean, don't worry about all that stuff?"  I asked.
 
"I mean, it sounds and looks good during the meeting.  But let me tell you, nobody really follows those guidelines around here."
 
"Why not?"
 
"Because they don't have to.  All you have to do, is show up and make half an effort.  Mr. Wallace hasn't fired anybody since I've been here for not following the rules.  Everybody basically has their own style and way of doing things." Tameka went on to say.
 
"Excuse me, what does that mean exactly?" I really wanted to know.
 
"Don't worry about that right now.  You'll see what I mean soon enough." Tameka said as she chuckled to herself.





"Salute This"     (from Workin' It)

 
An Officer and a Gentleman.  How many women had gone to see that movie.  And dreamed of one day being swept off their feet by a handsome Naval Officer.  There were far too many to name, just in Sandra's inner circle alone - - coworkers, friends and family.
 
Sandra however was the exception. She was not setting her sights on hooking a Naval Officer or any other man.
 
Sandra's goal was to work herself up through the ranks of Corporate America.  She had been with A.T. & T. for two years and already was being looked at, as upper management material.
 
Sandra could see herself flying off to the East Coast for an important board meeting.  Then hoping another plane to wherever she was needed.  Jet-setting executive, that's how Sandra saw herself.  Sandra visualized this from the time she was in junior high school. 
 
Year in and year out during the holiday seasons, she'd seen first hand the type of life - - she did not want.  Each and every holiday, Sandra witnessed the women in her family getting up before sunrise.  Why?  To prepare the holiday meals for the entire clan.
 
And what were the men doing?  Sleeping in of course.  And when they did get out of bed, they took a seat at the kitchen table to wait for their breakfast to be served.
 
Sandra always thought this was so unfair and sexist.  She'd ask her Mom and Aunts why they continue to do this, year in and year out?
 
Their standard answer was, "Because we're the women and they're the men."
 
Sandra would respond with, so.  "Where is it written that men cannot help cook the family meals?"
 
Sandra might be able to understand this, if the men were the sole breadwinners & the women were housewives.  That wasn't the case in this family - - the women also held down full-time jobs plus cared for the children.  In a few of the family households the women even earned more money than their husbands (as quiet as it was kept), yet continued this tradition.
 
And it wasn't just holiday meals either.  If a husband decided he wanted to host a family gathering anytime.  This meant the woman would be cooking & cleaning into the wee hours to prepare for it.
 
The spontaneous family gatherings usually occurred after one of the men had purchased a new car or other big ticket item they wanted to show off.  This would only begin a cycle of let me "one-up" you.  No one was going to be outdone.
 
The men would stand around drinking, bragging and telling lies.  While the women did their wifely duties, as they called it.