Bad day

When I was very young, my Father gave me a useful bit of knowledge. It was "Never shit on your own doorstep". I've brought that with me to my later life, expanding it to mean not only my old family, but also the new one and my workplace as well. I try not to let outsiders into certain things that happen in these little circles, because I always believed that loyalty is paid back with loyalty.

When I came to Ireland, I noticed that loyalty is hard to get, especially if you don't happen to be Irish. Shitty jobs, bad contracts (or no contracts at all) and strange arrangements have followed each other for the past years. I've talked to several nice, smart and hardworking girls, from different countries, and the story stays the same. One of them had a boss, who made up a story about her and fired her as a result. One works for way too many hours a week for about 3 euro/hour. It goes on and on.

I've worked the whole time I've been in this country, paying taxes and never getting anything back. When my hours got cut in my second job, I tried to get help. I was told, that my interest is not in the state and that I have connections to other countries (since I happen to have parents who live in another country. Shocking!). So I couldn't get any support.
The same thing happened again, when the economical situation got worse a little while ago. This time the fact that himself is Irish was considered to be a bonus. Funny, that. :/

Today, I came to work.
I needed to get some papers signed and my boss asked me to come to the office. He told me, that my hours are needed for his children and that the business isn't successful enough to keep me in. He told me, that I could work today, and get my P45 on Monday. Fast action.
I don't know which one of us got more of a shock, me for loosing my job or him, when I burst into tears. (I'm not one of the feminine, quiet tears -type of cryers either, so...)
He gave me three more weeks, or so.

I pulled myself together and went to work. Service with a smile, at that.

My Mother also gave me a tip for life. "Leave a place in a better shape than it was when you first came in."
So, after I got the news, I came in, armed myself with a brush and a dustpan and started cleaning. At least now there won't be any actual shit on the doorstep. *laughs*