Imagine getting approval from your boss to take time off over the holidays, but then your boss changes his mind after you’ve already made plans.

Would you show up for work, or would you go ahead with your vacation plans regardless of the consequences?

In today’s story, one man finds himself in this situation, and he decides to play it a little bit differently.

Let’s see what he does.

Fired if I don’t work that day, made it my last day.

A few years back I worked on a relief crew on a drilling rig. The rig ran 24 hours a day with three shifts. Crews worked 6 days and then 2 days off.

My crew would replace a working crew so they could have their 2 days off so we worked mornings 2 days, then afternoons and then nights.

It was common to find someone to take a shift if you wanted an extra day off but the replacement had to have the same abilities.

Here’s an explanation of the different jobs.

A crew had a driller, Derrickhand, motorman, chainhand, and floorhand.

People started as floorhand and as they learned they would work their way up with more responsibility and more pay.

Sometimes when someone changed companies they might take a lower position so it was common to have someone with derrickhand capabilities working motor or chain.

His wife had a question.

In September my wife asked about the chances of getting off for Christmas.

I checked the calendar and my days off fell on December 24 and 25.

Done deal! I have it scheduled off.

Then I decided to sweeten the pot. I found a guy who would work December 22 and 23 for me. Also found one who would work the 26 and 27.

Everyone else on the crew wanted to do the same thing.

I took this to my driller who agreed they could work for me.

With my 6 days off I could drive 400 miles to visit family. Things looked pretty sweet, too sweet.

The other guys on my crew were in the same position so they all tried to find replacements and two were successful.

The driller changed his mind about the time off.

Unfortunately, the driller only had 3 other guys on the rig who could work for him and none of them wanted to help.

He got mad and said since he couldn’t get the time off none of us could have it off.

I reminded him that he had already approved my time.

And he said that was canceled and if I didn’t work on Dec 23 then I was a run off MF (fired).

I told him fine, I will work the 23rd but that will be my last day of work. Consider this my 3 month notice.

Here’s how that job ended.

At work, nothing much was said for the next few weeks.

Outside of work I was networking and found another job I could start the first week of January. All was set.

At the end of my shift on the 23rd I emptied my work locker and said my goodbyes.

The driller barely acknowledged me.

Went home and drove to see family the next day. Spent a relaxing week there and then came back to start my new job.

The driller didn’t think he was serious.

About the end of January I went to a friend’s birthday party.

There I saw one of my old crew. He asked me when I was going to go back to work.

The driller thought I was just sulking around and would come crawling back soon. He never hired a replacement and they had been working short handed for over a month.

I said he better hire somebody. I wasn’t playing games and when I said I quit I meant it.

Wow! That driller doesn’t sound like a very smart guy.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

This is true.

He did the right thing.

This person calls the driller a loser.

This is a very good question!

This person thinks the driller had a huge ego.

I hope his new job is much better.

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.