Yesterday was so long, such a drawn out day – finished by waiting for my creepy friends to leave the change rooms. There is not a more appropriate way to end my final late shift here. By the end of it I was saying yay, 8 hours left of telling the same story over and over again. But in reality I think that that only came out cause of my tiredness.
Yesterday I believe I said this – “Yes I’m for Vancouver. Yes I’ll travel about. No I don’t have a job. Or anywhere to live. Sure what’s the worst that can happen. Probably go to New Zealand after Canada. Then home. Hope to join the police when I’m home. Yes my Mum wants me to come home now” about a thousand times this afternoon. Yes, in nearly that exact order. And I’ve been hugged a thousand times. I asked GI Joe if I could just back away & say “I don’t want hugged”. He said that’d be rude.
So today the final day of work has come and gone. I managed to get away with doing a whole hours’ work, none of it really all that important, none of it really all that hard. I was collected shortly after 10, by her, for some shopping, mostly for my ABBA outfit but it turned into a couple of hours at starbucks as I wasn’t keen on going back to work.
On the way back I was told to get back into work as GI Joe thought I was ripping the piss by being away so long. So much for that – GI Joe wasn’t pissed at all, they just wanted to know when I was back so I could be given an appropriate send off. He told me to get into my work clothes & get back to work, but as soon as I walked out and saw the look on their heads I knew they were up to something. Shit I thought as I launched my phone at C before being carted to the pond. I did make a break for it but was caught by the GM & carried the rest of the way before being unceremoniously thrown into the freezing pond. I swear I actually felt ice break around my feet, legs and arse as I hit the water. Then I stood, pulling my shirt down, unable to breathe from the sheer cold that surrounded me. It felt as though I was being gripped by one huge muscle spasm – it sure was a shock. Not so much going for a swim; but for the coldness. I knew it would be cold, but was still completely unprepared for it. The air temperature felt quite warm after I struggled my way out of the pond.
After showering, changing & getting back down stairs I was dismissed; not before GI Joe gave a lovely little speech & a couple of cards. I was, and still am utterly speechless at the send off gift they got for me. I opened the card and $300 Canadian fell out, along with £20. Such a nice gesture, and really unexpected. I’m speechless and really don’t know what to say, or how to thank GI Joe and the GM enough – a bottle of bundy each might do nicely.
So, all in all my final day at work was about an hour long; and all I did was sign off some cleaning that I didn’t do. Oh, and I turned the machines on.
I really have had some great times here, and really have learnt a lot; both about myself and about the business. I’ve learnt to be proud of the way I interact with people and that the majority of people are accepting of all sorts of personalities – that some even appreciate the upfront-straightforward-tell-it-like-it-is approach that I have. I’ve learnt that I do know a lot and that I do have the capability to fit in with new people and to become a part of the group. I’ve learnt that I’ve the capability to stand up for myself and to stand firm on things that I believe in. I have learnt that I’m probably a better, and nicer person than I give myself credit for and that there are people out there who will genuienly care for me and do anything for me if I need it. I’ve learnt that I, at times, do really like the person I’ve become.
