The first time I managed people and money (and my skirmish with obesity in the workplace).

Turn-of-the-century sideshow star
Jolly Irene (Amanda Siebert),
posing here with a brand of shoes
 for stout women.

Many years ago, I worked at a gourmet meat and cheese shop called Alpen Pantry. That was in Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids, MI.

The owner ran another Alpen Pantry in Ann Arbor and stopped in weekly. By a string of coincidences and the sudden departure of two managers, I ended up managing for a few months and doing some hiring. It was my first time managing people and money, and I think I did okay. I was hardworking and honest (and I liked cheese, what else could you want?).

Alpen Pantry had a small aisle between two service counters and when we had two or more people working between the counters, we had to turn sideways and suck in our guts just to pass each other.

One day, a very large man applied for an open position. He knew he was too big to fit comfortably between the counters, let alone let someone pass by him, and I knew that, but he had the experience I needed, and he wanted the job, and I was very sensitive to any perception of weight discrimination. 

I hired him.

My boss gave me grief, which I expected. (He was good at that. He once told me that when dealing with customers I should “Make the sale and kick their ass out.”)

I wrung my hands for a week. The Saturday that the large man was scheduled to start, I was just praying I’d find a way to put him to work and still manage to run the counter.

I was inside prepping by 8am, and he showed up outside the closed accordion gates. I motioned that I saw him and went to the rear of the store (to put some cash away as I recall).

When I returned to the front of the store, he was gone.

He never returned. I don’t know if he was testing me or decided at that moment it was best not to put both of us through an awkward situation.

[2014-03-13]

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