Sometimes it hard to be the boss.....

I had an issue with one of the teens at work on Saturday. He made some bad choices which resulted in a great deal of stress and inconvenience for a lot of people, mostly me.

When he didn't show up for work, I had to rush over there and work the reception desk all afternoon and early evening. (It seriously cut into my stitching time!) I caught him in a number of untruths. He lied to his parents that he had secured a sub on Wednesday already. He lied to his brother that he had called me and talked to me, and he lied to me first that he was sick, then that his home phone was out of order, and then that he was home in bed. He didn't get a sub, he left me a voice mail on Saturday, mid-morning, and he wasn't sick, he was out with a friend. When I called his home to see where he was, the phone was working, and he wasn't there. When I called his cell phone, he told me he was home, sick, in bed. Can you say BUSTED!!!!!

I have a real soft spot for all the teens that work for me. I find them delightful! I enjoy teaching them things, and watching them grow and mature over the years. I bend over backwards to help them out if they find they are in a bind and can't find a sub to work the shift they are scheduled for. If this kid had just told me on Wednesday or Thursday that he wanted to do something with a friend, I could have worked it out.

It is unfortunate, but I had to let him go today. This isn't the first time he messed up, and has received two warnings before this incident. I know I did the right thing, both for the office and to teach him a hard lesson, but I still feel bad........ I just hope he has learned something from this experience. But I still feel bad!!!!