Labor Day? It’s Still Monday

Just another Monday for me, which means my regular routine — a workout this morning and a stop by the market after.

Of course, complex management has the day off, which isn't saying much because the office has been closed since the day after Carnival, with only Assistant Maintenance Guy doing whatever it is he's been doing — probably enjoying the others being gone.

I wonder if Corporate knows no one has been in the office because, in past days when there was an absence, Corporate would send someone down to cover.

The fact that Corporate has not done so is a puzzle piece telling me Corporate is either being kept in the dark OR Corporate knows the something us residents have not been allowed to know and are not risking another team member to come down, work in that building for the time being.

On Friday, one would have thought Red Light was manager because, at bingo, as people would enter the building looking for someone in the office to speak to for whatever reason — probably inquire about applying for a unit here, Red Light would leave the Community Room, go out to the Lobby, greet the person(s), speak with them, tell them whatever it was she told them about why no one was available, the person(s) would leave, Red Light would return to the Community Room looking even more full of herself than she usually does.

Not sure how it happened, not even sure when it happened, but Red Light has become the Big Beoch on campus — strutting around like she’s in charge, knows everything going on, telling those she can control what to do, even taking on parts of Activity Director’s job … making arrangements for speakers to come in.

Makes me curious, though I'm not comfortable asking, what her background is, what line of work she was in before she ended up here, on the county welfare roll.

Must have been a high mucky muck job because her large and in charge attitude reminds me of how Next-Door Neighbor, previously a State Commissioner before she too ended up here via the county welfare roll, used to be ... that is until her treating others as though they were her employees got her impeached as president of the then Residents' Activity Committee.

Thus far, Red Light has not, to my knowledge, pissed anyone off.

I, and the Usual Suspects as well, are quite content to let her take the lead role, with us as supporting cast — otherwise there would be no bingo and other resident sponsored events; but she did slip one day, when she was spilling the tea, and say, "Don’t tell anyone what I just told you. I have to be careful because they're after me".

She need not have worried. I'm not that person who goes around tipping over teacups. I save what tea I get for the blog; but I assumed the "they" she was speaking of is the current Complex Manager and the conflict being both are vying for the title of HBIC.

Thus far, it’s a tie.

Speaking of previous lines of work, this Labor Day marks my 13th year of sliding the chute, or close enough as I officially retired on September 7.

Time flies when one is not having to deal, on a daily basis, with functionally insane employers, various forms of racism and abuse of authority.

Remembering all I had to tolerate to remain employed, make it to retirement, puts the way management treats us seniors into perspective — mere child’s play ... annoying, but we've all survived worse.