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Sunday, September 27, 2009

Life isn't Perfect


Today, the Parish Council was sent on a retreat. Sister Dorothea told us a story that just didn't sit well with me. I know that what bothered me wasn't the point, so I didn't say anything. But it just "goes up one side of me, and down the other," rubbing the wrong way.

Sister Dorothea said she goes to sleep listening to the radio and the speaker once told a story where he had finished a show (he was an entertainer) and returned to his hotel, the Ritz Carlton. It was past midnight. He rang up room service and order supper. When room service came, the guest noticed that the condiments were missing. He complained--rather unkindly. The bus boy, or whatever you call the person who works for room service, responded, "Life's not perfect."

The response rendered the man speechless. He didn't know what to say. The more he thought about it, the more he regretted his cranky reprimand. In fact, this was a life changing declaration. "Life's not perfect."

That was the end of Sister Dorothea's story.

However, it left a bad taste and feeling in my mouth. This was an example of poor customer service. It could have been cause for firing. Maybe the bus boy belonged to a union and felt secure. But I belong to a union and while I may not be fired, I would have been written up. I would have had to have a "hearing." We union members up on the seniority scale are forever being shot at. Management would love an excuse to fire us. We're "maxed" out, salary wise. If one of us left, cheaper employees could be hired at minimum wage. Better still, two part timers would be hired at 19 hours. In that way, no benefits would be paid.

Sigh..........

Sometimes religious life just isn't real.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Another consequence is that this person causes many customers to decide not to return, thus, jeopardizing everyone's employment.

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