Yield

13th March 2007

Around 9.40am, my phone rang. Shi Yng told me I was supposed to open shop that day. So I woke up, prepared, and went to work.

Woah. It was tough. The atmosphere was.... Anyway, the lights were already on when i reached the shop. So obviously she was already there. The computer waas switched on, but not set up yet. So i pressed the buttons and stuff and clocked in. I went to ask Shi Yng whether she wanted to clock in. She said no, it was her off day, and she was only here to oepn the shop. So she went off. We merely spoke a few sentences.

The office called. First, it was Hui Yan, the one reputedly fierce HQ personnel. She was asking me who closed shop on 7th March, because there is a mistake for the Visa/Master balance. Judging from the handwriting, i guessed it was Rohana, cause Shi Yng was off that day. And there was one day when Rohana didn't check the balance. I said "Dunno?" Then she started scolding me, saying we didn't void the receipt, and that we must check the machines first and blah blah blah. Scold all you want. I'm not afraid of you, cause I'm LEAVING soon!

Another call came. Pei Fang said that a Malay girl would be coming later. Oh, better than nothing.

This malay girl is Fizah(i remember her name by linking it to 'Visa'), a really nice and hardworking girl. She is an ITE student and is on holiday now. She said she had previously worked at Bugis but quit in February. Pei Fang had asked and pestered her to come back to work. The manpower is seriously lacking.

Then a China lady came in, carrying a baby. She wanted to try a pair of pants and asked me to help her carry her baby. I was shocked. I don't know how to carry babies, so i asked Fizah to help. The baby girl was tugging at and grabbing her mama's hair. Fizah loves the kid. I wanted to try it too. So i took over the baby and she was reaching out her hands. Within a few seconds my hands were tired. And the baby didn't look too comfortable. She was pinching my cheeks and pulling my hair. Haha. Brave lil' baby. She didn't cry when in others' hands.


14th March 2007

This morning I jaywalked with a police van just by the traffic light. Some kinda auxiliary department. I thought there wasn't anyone on board the van, so i crossed the road. Oops. There were like, two or three police officers there, just on the side of the van. Suddenly I started to walk very quickly. Haha. They didn't come after me. I guess it's not part of their job. They're not the traffic police.

I opened shop today. Business was poor.

At 12pm, Shi Yng came in. Uh-oh. I thought there was gonna be a cold war for the rest of the day. But no, Shi Yng behaved like nothing had happened. She's still so happy and cheerful.

Shi Yng and I talked very lil' today. Mostly about business. I had originally wanted to come to work at 4pm tomorrow, but i later changed to the 11am-4.30pm shift because i plan to do some stuff tomorrow

Fizah's working only till this Friday. She had called Pei Fang to tell her she didn't want to continue working anymore.

Later, Shi Yng asked me what was happening to me today. (I didn't speak much.) I replied by saying i was tired. Yes, i was indeed, That's part of the reason.

She was telling me how pissed off she was when Jason scolded her that Monday night. I didn't want to come back to work; she didn't want Suet Ling to come to the outlet; i didn't take the keys. She was calling Jason, asking him what she should do, cause i didn't take go over to take the keys and shw was off the next day. Jason scolded her and asked her to settle it herself. Her boyfriend purpoesely shouted "Don't work already lah!"

Then, later, i asked Shi Yng why wasn't she angry that I didn't show up that night. She said she had forgotten about it and only remembered on the bus when her boyfriend asked her if she was off the next day.

So I see.

I told her I was doing something grave with my friend.

Oh yes. Shi Yng put on blue eyeshadow today. Finally. She's always seen with pink eyeshadow. Guess she took my comment.

Then i went to snip off the leaves of the 'tree' inside the shop. They were getting long and brown. Shi Yng said the bosses always come to look at this tree because it is beautiful and lasts the longest, compared to other outlets. They last only a while at other outlets.

So I climbed on the ladder and cut off the brown parts. It was like doing handicraft. I cut the leaves such that their ends are sharp and pointed.

After the tree-cutting ceremony, i went to wash up. Oh, the scissors smell. I felt like puking when i took a sniff. And i got a cut on my arm. Itchy.

So i guess everything's back to normal.

Why do i have to go through this? It's okay.

Thirty-one more days to freedom.