April Fools.
(I know ...a day late.)
When I was 22 I lived with my parents. For a short time I worked at Hardees. My shifts was 5-8 and 11-2. I hated it for many reasons, not the least was the 3 hour wait between shifts. I would show up in the morning and help clean up the place before it got busy with the morning breakfast rush.
Since I worked weekend mornings , and usually didn't like to have to rush back home from wherever it was that I found myself on those early morning hours, I usually kept a spare uniform in the store. A vast majority of my time working there I was either hung over or sleep deprived.
To say I took the job less then seriously would be a vast understatement. I would show up seconds before I to clock in and clock out the first minute I could.
I once worked at a Nursing Home where an old woman's foot fell apart. I hated my job at Hardees worse than that one.
On April First 1987 my alarm clock rang and woke me up. I turned it off and stumbled out of bed. I somehow got myself dressed and drank a can of Coke to help wake me up.
Less then 8 minutes after I woke up I staggered out the door and began the long walk to work. About half way there I woke up a little. I remember thinking how cold it was that morning. About 15 minutes after I left home I found myself walking up to the entrance of Hardees.
Everything was dark. I tried the door.
Locked.
Maybe the manager was late this morning, I thought. I looked in the window at the clock by the counter.
It said 3.57.
3.57? What the heck?
I was an hour early. Cussing everystep, I walked home. I made it in time to sit down, relax for about 20 minutes, and head back out to Hardees. Sooner then I would have liked I back, this time the manager was there.
That day went especially long for me. Finally it was 8 and I could go home for 3 hours until it was time to head back. I walked home still wondering how my clock could have been set ahead an hour. I got there around 8.15. Mom and Dad were in the kitchen. I came in to grab a bite to eat.
As I sat down Dad looked at me and without cracking a smile said," Did you make it too work on time? It's important to show up when you are supposed to."
I stared at him with my mouth slightly open. He did it too me. The old sadistic jerk. I knew he would never admit it, but all the same he wanted to let me know it was him.
Before I could say anything he left the kitchen and went to work. I sat there vowing revenge. Next Year I vowed, I'll get him back.
All Year I plotted and schemed. Finally the week before April 1st I understood.
Nothing I could do would ever match that. He had beaten me. It was time to bow before the Master.
Besides he would have killed me if I really did anything to him.