Getting a job in high school is a great way to gain experience while earning some extra money.

What would you do if you had a boss who was really rude to you because you forgot your hat one day, and he didn’t like the color of your hair?

That is what happened to the young lady in this story, but when he tried to punish her, everything he did worked in her benefit, which made him even more upset.

Check it out.

Transferred to work with my best friends

The set up:

I was in high school (90’s) and working part time in a grocery store.

I was hired for the produce department, all my friends worked the Front line (mostly bagging for cashiers and retrieving shopping carts.)

I have always been an over achiever at work, and I actually liked my job.

My supervisors were all cool and i was doing the job for extra spending money after school.

I wasn’t heavily invested in it because I also delivered newspapers in the morning (like I said overachiever).

The only thing that I didn’t like was having to work weekends.

No big deal, it is just a hat.

One day I forgot my hat (or maybe I just didn’t feel like wearing it that day because I recently dyed my hair green and wanted to show it off I don’t remember).

I do know there was no specific code about hair color in the hand book and hats were only required if you were prepping food or in a section like the deli.

My direct supervisor liked my hair and said I fit in great with all the veggies and I should focus on stocking all the green stuff that shift.

She was sure the customers would enjoy it.

We both laughed and I did my job.

The juicy stuff:

Anywho, a couple hours later towards the end of my shift this grumpy general manager (let’s call him Bob) was not happy I forgot my hat and decided to grill me about it.

We happened to be in front of the customer service desk at the time.

He went on and on for a while about young people and poor work ethic.

He was really on it about how lazy kids are so on and so forth.

Now keep in mind I always did my job well, never had any complaints or anything like that.

This was my first time EVER getting a speech from a boss like this.

Some managers care about the silliest things.

Eventually he got around to it and flat out asked me “where’s your hat?”

“Oh, well, uh, gee Bob, I think I forgot it at home.”

“You forgot it at home? How could you forget it? You see this is what I’m talking about. What if I took your paycheck home and forgot it there?

Now I was not sure if he wanted an answer.

So, I stood there for what just felt like an eternity.

Just looking at him while my teenage brain was processing everything.

“Well?” Bob asked again.

Now I knew he actually expected me to answer.

So…I said: “Excuse me bob, um I don’t understand.”

His face started to crinkle with anger.

The customer service ladies were watching intently enjoying the show.

“What don’t you understand?”

“Well, doesn’t accounting handle the checks. I mean you don’t actually do anything with them.”

He started to look even angrier at this point.

But I was too dumb to care.

She is quite the smart Alec.

So I went on … ” I mean that’s my understanding so I don’t know how my check could even get to your house unless you stole it or something from the accounting people.”

The customer service ladies bust out laughing, he looked at them sharply and told me to go home and think about what I did.

And I would be lucky if I still had a job.

I wasn’t sure if I was being fired or not.

I really was in some kind of shock.

So I asked “you mean I get to go home early tonight?”

Again the customer service ladies chuckled while trying to look busy.

I went home a little upset but tried to look on the bright side I got home early did my homework and relaxed.

Bob is really holding a grudge here.

I went in for my shift the following day only to find out I was taken off of the schedule.

“Sorry I don’t see you on here it looks like Bob changed the schedule you’re not on until next week.”

Just then Bob strolls over with this I got you now look on his face and I knew his game so I smiled and said “omg that’s great it will be so nice to have a little vacation.”

I said smiling then I thanked him.

This really worked him over.

I guess he couldn’t actually fire me, so he was trying to make things bad for me.

So, he said. “Oh one more thing, I don’t think produce is right for you. I’ve decided you to move you to the front as punishment for insubordination. I’ve already filed the paper work”

“Bob really? The front? Are you sure?”

He had a smile. Thinking he won.

Oh, I bet he was mad when she said this!

“Well that’s fantastic all my friends work over there and that’s the position I originally applied for! Thank you so much! I’ll see you in a week!”

I left with the biggest smile on my face.

When I finally came back all the front managers officially welcomed me to their team.

What a great opportunity.

I was already quite friendly with many of them because I would help out up there from time to time.

I was still getting my higher pay rate from produce and best of all, Bob never bothered me again.

I got to goof off and work way less than before.

Some of my fondest memories of that place are when I would just hang out in the parking lot with the other baggers generally having a good time.

Never got any other complaints there either.

That worked out perfectly, well done!

Read on to see what the people in the comments think about this story.

She is not to be crossed.

This commenter loved the story.

I’m sure this commenter is correct.

Managers have no power when the employee doesn’t need the job.

I would have laughed out loud.

Sometimes being compliant gets you exactly what you want.

This is pretty funny.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.