#first job

every sunday morning i’ll be working as a cashier in my stepmother’s supermarket

Warning: Long post

I know this isn't my usual content, but being on the search for a new job has made me reflect on my previous job, and I don't really have anywhere else where I could share my thoughts.

I was 17 when I started working at Chick-fil-A, and honestly, the job was almost perfect. They trained you; there was no period when people hated you because you were making mistakes because you were new, and just about everyone was nice. They delegated every task so everyone knew what they were supposed to be doing, and if a station had an issue they that person was responsible for fixing it as long as it was manageable.

The reason I quit was because of being outside. And I know, I know you're probably thinking: 1. I knew what I was getting into because everyone knows that CFA has people standing outside to take orders, and 2. standing outside can't possibly be that bad. And to that I say 1. I was 17, and this was my first job, and if you remember what you were like at 17, surely you remember you thought you knew and could do everything, and 2. I also thought standing outside wasn't that bad until I was cruelly proven wrong. So I started in August, at the beginning of fall, so it really was nothing to be standing outside. But then winter came around. So we had 2 overhead heaters, but they weren't stationed where we stood the most, so they had these little propane tanks to keep us warm, as well as these big winter jackets and ski pants(though there were only 2 pairs of pants). When it got really cold around late November and December, that's when it got unbearable. My hands would get so cold that they hurt; it hurt to tap the screen and to bend them. The first time I considered leaving was the night they forgot me out there, and what I mean by that is everyone rotates stations about every hour so that they can switch out the people standing outside ( for my location, you're usually out there for an hour but only 30mins when it's really cold). My shift leader forgot to switch me out, and so I was out there for a hot minute, and my hands got so cold that I couldn't even feel them. They had surpassed the point of hurting and went full on numb. And there was a full line of people, but I had taken a few-second break so that I could warm my hands at the propane tank, and the manager who was also taking orders got on me and was like "Why aren't you taking orders 😐?". The night I decided to quit was when they had me out there in 36-degree weather. It was too much; my face, my nose, and my hands hurt. CFA will bring the people inside and operate the drive-thru like a regular drive-thru if the weather is extreme, and they deemed 36 degrees as not extreme enough to bring the kids inside. The majority of the people at my location who worked in front of the house were kids; all the adults, except for the managers and shift leaders, worked in the morning when the weather wasn't that bad. And I had once heard a story from my coworker about how one day it was storming pretty bad outside, and the manager was gonna bring them in, but the owner of that location said no, that they would be fine, and told the manager to leave them out there.

And I know to people who live up North that 36 degrees may seem like nothing, but to some whose lived in the south their entire life where it doesn't usually get that cold, 36 degrees is a lot for me, especially since I was out there long enough for my hand to start hurting (they did have gloves, but nobody would wear them because it wouldn't work when you tapped the ipad to take orders and they had the little ipad pens but those quickly got lost). And I genuinely do feel bad for Northern CFA workers out there who have to stand in snow and take orders.

And I know if I had made it to the summer, to the Georgia heat, I very much would have been miserable; I am one of those who get irritated and short-tempered in the heat. Not to mention the fact that I would probably have passed out, and I'm not even joking. To my California and Arizona CFA workers out there, much love and power to you.

And the most annoying part of the job was when customers would say things like "oh my god it's so cold, I can't believe they have you out here 😫" and " they should give ear muffs ☹️" or my favorite one " I hate that they have you out here in this weather 🥺" and then proceed to order food. Because the thing is, if you really hated it, you wouldn't be supporting this establishment, or maybe even say something to my manager. And to those of you who think I'm being petty, I'm really not, because if you've actually had to be out there and face those weather conditions, you would know or at least be able to see how these types of comments come off as more condescending than well-meaning.

Like y'all, if you truly gave a d*mn about the fact that these kids are working outside in extreme weather conditions, then you wouldn't be supporting the establishment with your money. And if you think that " oh, CFA is a billion-dollar corporation; me not going isn't gonna make a difference," that is exactly how evil continues to prevail. The idea that your actions won't make a difference is how predators are allowed to get away with things. And even if not going didn't make a difference, you still shouldn't be giving them your money if they're doing things you hate. Like, if you truly cared and hated the fact that they have these kids outside, then you wouldn't give them your money. You shouldn't give your money to corporations you hate unless you truly have to, and you don't have to go to Chick-fil-A. Despite their marketing portraying them as being the healthiest fast food option, that's a lie, and you know it. What's healthy about fried food 🤨? Their large fry is 600 calories 😐. You can make a chicken salad at home.