My junior year of college, I landed a job as a gift shop cashier at a Major Philadelphia hotel. My co-worker that trained me was a woman who had worked there for nearly 8 years. She was a miserable person.

On my first day, as she trained me, she held up register tape and said,

“whatever you do make sure the register never runs out of paper. We need to guests sign for purchases. Also, we only have 2 pens. Do not let guests walk out with them!”

I gulped as I didn't like her tone of voice and threatening stance. I was intimidated. But i nodded my response and offered a smile. I wouldn't let her see me sweat. We were a crew of six and I always got stuck on shift with her. Everyone felt bad for me as her attitude was well known throughout the hotel. I could tell working with her would be trying to say the least.

During my first few weeks, I made mistakes and would need her to help me. Each time, she'd huff and make me out to be an idiot in front of the guests. Sometimes it was warranted but most of the time, she just wanted to be a jerk towards me. I was also a fulltime college student so balancing my course work and being part time at the gift shop was a challenge.

Then of course it happened. The register tape ran out. There was a huge influx of guests and a line trailing out of the gift shop spilling into the lobby. I was manning the desk by myself while she was in our storage room feasting on gourmet candies she pilfered from the display shelf.

You'd think that a major hotel would make sure their employees had everything to do the job right, but no. We were instructed to run to check- in desk in the lobby & beg a manager to open a stock room for us to get supplies. With a line spilling out the door, sometimes that would be impossible.

My co-worker was a shift manager, but had no stock room privileges. As she lifted yet another overpriced candy to her lips from her stolen stash , it dawned on me. We can't get what we need because of her! Management didn't want to fire her because she had been there for a long time & while her attitude was horrible she was competent. We were understaffed, so they thought, we'll just take her closet keys. Also because I was a new employee, I would not be granted key holding privileges for at least a while.

After some tap dancing, I managed to score some more register receipt tape. It was a hotel where alot of conventions were held. Traveling employees needed to supply receipts for accounting purposes in case anyone is wondering.

While i was on new employee probation, I also evaluated my job also. After a few months I did decide to leave this job as I landed a much better one on my campus. I grew to be trusted and well liked, much to this woman's chagrin.

I managed to get enough clout to have separate shifts from her and my last day there, I saw she would be working the following day. A grinch like smile formed on my face as I thought of a parting gift. I took every roll of register tape and hid each pen.

I laughed in the gift shop as I closed the door for the night. She would look at the schedule and know I did it. My cackle echoed as I imagined her scurrying about begging concierge to open the supply closet door.

Oh well.

A few years later, I strolled by. For kicks, I decided to peek into the gift shop.

She was still there. In the same position. Still very miserable. I wonder what happened to that new position she had her eye on.

Then I remembered. Must have been that tip to mangement about our items being consumed but not sold.

Oh well.