Paradise

At the pawn shop, there is a weekly meeting which all employees are meant to attend each Monday evening. During this meeting we discuss new policies that are being instituted or protocols that need to be rediscussed or various other things. Just before Christmas, the head manager of the store asked us what our favorite candies were and then had each of us answer. I thought this meant she was going to give each of us our favorite candy as a Christmas gift, but I was wrong--which was disappointing as I love candy but am often too cheap to buy myself any.

I now realize what she was doing. Even though there are roughly a dozen employees at the pawn shop and we all have a fairly good rapport, she was attempting to create a more light-hearted tone for the meeting by having everyone participate in an ice-breaker-type game.

Such questions aren't presented each week, but this past week we were all asked to respond with our idea of paradise or some place we would really like to go. As it is the dead of winter, many answers centered on locations with warm climates--Florida, The Bahamas, Texas. I, however, took a different route. I responded that my idea of paradise was "anytime and anyplace I don't have to work."

The head boss made a surprised noise and my fellow employees let out awkward laughs.

My answer was meant to be funny, but I was also serious. I don't hate my job, but I definitely don't love it, and even if it is a mostly enjoyable job, it's not my idea of a great career. This is definitely just a temporary gig for me and I have been very upfront about it, just usually in a more tactful manner.

Anyway, to try and calm everyone down, I responded that I didn't have anything against my job but that I just really liked being lazy. I mean, who wants to work?

The head manager laughed and then said she would only let me get away with that answer since she was "pretty sure" that I "kind of like" my job.

I responded, "Yeah. It's okay."

I didn't mean to say that. It just popped out and I know how it must have sounded, but it was the truth. My boss made the same shocked noise again and there was another round of nervous laughter.

We then moved on to other peoples' ideas of paradise.

Ironically, a few days after this meeting, a huge snow storm was expected. I was really excited about this at first but then realized that since I was no longer a student that snow meant nothing as I would still have to come to work. What a sad moment that was in my miserable life. But all is now well. The storm was actually so bad that we closed early the night that it hit and then were closed the following day. Snow days do still exist for those with full-time employment. I actually spent the night with a small group of friends and then spent the day doing nothing productive (other than digging out my car and the cars of my friends). I kept thinking to myself how I should have been at work and then feeling very elated that I wasn't. I didn't care that I wasn't making money. I was in my own personal paradise.