It’s not uncommon to have multiple jobs – in this economy, it’s the sad truth that that’s the only way many people can make ends meet.

And all this leaves very little time for life outside of work, with even important things like family time falling by the wayside just so people can earn enough money to live.

So when the guy in this story found out he’d have to miss his daughter’s gender reveal, he found a way to be there in spirit.

Until his boss tried to drag him away. Luckily though, he knew exactly what card to play.

Read on to find out what happened.

You either can or you can’t

I’m going to be a grandpa for the first time!

My daughter is pregnant and living in Texas, while I continue to schlep away at my teaching job and deli/produce/butcher job at Arizona’s hometown grocer.

Saturdays are my busiest workdays because I work deli 8am to 2pm, meat department 3pm to 7pm (mostly clean up) and then right to produce where I cut fruit until done (usually 60 cups/bowls in three hours).

I work like twelve to thirteen hours with an unpaid break in between departments from 2pm to 3pm.

Let’s see how this work schedule is affecting his family life.

Recently my wife was in Texas for the gender reveal, and we decided I’d stay back to take care of the animals.

My daughter was going to come out to vacation with us in Vegas in a month anyway, so I was good with missing the gender reveal in person so long as I could watch it live.

Even that I was okay with missing if they sent a video if necessary. But they scheduled it around me, and FaceTimed me at about 2:10pm or so.

I had just punched out from the deli, and was walking to a quiet place when the reveal was going down. My son and my grandmother were all patched in also. I made sure I had a decent angle on things so I didn’t have to move.

But things weren’t about to go smoothly for him.

Just as soon as things started to happen, my store manager (let’s call her Mindy) came out of the store and walked toward me (I was outside of my car, elbows on the roof while the phone was on).

She chided me for being on my phone when I was supposed to be in meat department.

I mentioned my daughter’s gender reveal, pointing to my phone, and told her that I wasn’t scheduled until 3pm.

This should have given her pause, but it didn’t. I (un)muted myself evidently when she became super adamant, saying “look, you’re either working today or you’re not.”

And Mindy’s ultimatum was to be her downfall.

She obviously assumed I was scheduled to go directly over to meat department, and did not realize I worked cut fruit also. I knew the schedule, and was also familiar with the policy about working a fourteen hour shift.

If I’m scheduled to work fourteen hours (anything over ten in a 24 hour period) I get paid a premium for the entire shift.

And for some reason, with Raleys buying us out, there’s also a policy where even if you call in for that shift you can use your personal leave or sick pay and it pays the premium rate.

It’s a weird loophole or whatever, but that’s the one bright spot to this not so hostile takeover. I was given a golden opportunity here.

Read on to find out how she responded.

I replied “I’m either working or not? I’m gonna go with not. Seriously, I need to spend some time with family. My shift doesn’t start until 3, so that gives you time to find somebody right? Oh and also you’ll need someone to cover me for cut fruit tonight.”

Mindy then went, “look that’s not what I meant. No one here knows how to close meat or do cut fruit.”

So I responded, “Sorry Mindy, I just can’t make it. My daughter’s pregnant in Texas, and today is is a big deal.”

I said all this as I held up the phone with the screen full of people, one of whom yelled out “haaa haaa” like in The Simpsons.

And this all worked out for the best for this guy.

Mindy turned away in anger/disgust/resentment/regret? Who knows, but I certainly didn’t care at that point.

My wife was upset originally because she didn’t realize I was gonna get the pay still – but that paycheck just dropped today. Instead of working fourteen hours at $22 per hour, I worked 6 hours at $51.33 per hour. So it was like $308 for that Saturday.

I stayed on and FaceTimed the remainder of the time that was feasible (I didn’t want to force my other son who went with his mom to miss out on his Fortnite).

Oh, and it’s gonna be a boy!!

This just shows why it pays to know and understand your company’s policies, particularly when they change.

Because he was familiar with them, this guy was able to stand up to his boss, and profit on it too.

Good for him for still being there for his family.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit made of this.

This person thought it was an important lesson for Mindy.

While others saw the humor in the situation.

And plenty of Redditors congratulated him on (soon) becoming a Grandpa.

It’s great that this guy was still able to be there for his family, even though he was having to work extra to make ends meet.

Situations like this are important in life, and it’s nice that – thanks to his knowledge of the system – he was able to be there for it.

As for Mindy? She needs to understand her employees’ schedules before she chastises them.

She’s making herself look ridiculous.

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.