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#Post#: 4399--------------------------------------------------
15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: Jack Date: March 15, 2018, 12:33 pm
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Had to go in to work this morning to let someone go. I hated to
do it. He was a nice kid - knows Parker and Leif, has been a
long time comic customer and gamer, 16-years old, pretty nice
looking (only real drawback is a bit of an acne problem, but not
I was a Teenage Frankenstein-level. He was caught red-handed
(and on tape) stealing, so I didn't have much choice.
Because he's a minor (and because we have a signed confession
from him, along with the tape), I decided to talk to his dad
before I make any decisions. His dad works in Dallas and didn't
answer his phone, so I left a voice mail, and am waiting to hear
back from him.
In the meantime, I doubt Brian is having a great day.
#Post#: 4401--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: Adric Date: March 15, 2018, 1:21 pm
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Sad. Too bad for him. Hope the talk with his dad goes okay and
you don't find it necessary to carry it any further.
#Post#: 4403--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: db105 Date: March 15, 2018, 4:21 pm
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Yes, that's a pretty sad and unpleasant situation. What was he
stealing, money from the cash register?
#Post#: 4405--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: Jack Date: March 15, 2018, 4:35 pm
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[quote author=db105 link=topic=458.msg4403#msg4403
date=1521148891]
Yes, that's a pretty sad and unpleasant situation. What was he
stealing, money from the cash register?
[/quote]
Comic books. He's always been mostly a DC reader (why he's not
closer friends with Parker, I think). He waited until Herman
(the manager) went to his office, then pulled a number of new
comics off the rack and walked them out to his car. Herman came
out and took a video of him doing it (he's been watching on
camera). We knew someone was stealing (I have a very good
inventory program), and we had it nailed down to a couple of
young men who we gave a chance to sink or swim this week, when
we could bring them in during the early hours, when it's quiet.
#Post#: 4408--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: db105 Date: March 15, 2018, 4:41 pm
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Aww. You must have a weakness for kids who love comics, but of
course that doesn't make it all right. :(
#Post#: 4410--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: Jack Date: March 15, 2018, 5:09 pm
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[quote author=db105 link=topic=458.msg4408#msg4408
date=1521150111]
Aww. You must have a weakness for kids who love comics, but of
course that doesn't make it all right. :(
[/quote]
I do, but also, it makes sense to hire people who like comics,
since they actually have product knowledge.
By the way, his father called me not long after I wrote the
first post, when he was at lunch. He let me know he'd heard the
message and called Brian. Brian basically didn't dispute what
happened, and he let Brian know he's grounded for right now.
Because he works in Dallas, we're going to meet here this
evening.
#Post#: 4415--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: kalico Date: March 15, 2018, 9:19 pm
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Aw that’s sad but you gave him a chance ..... hope the meeting
with dad goes well
Good luck
Hugs kal
#Post#: 4427--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: David M. Katz Date: March 16, 2018, 11:43 am
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Is there any chance that a solution could be reached to give the
boy another chance at employment?
#Post#: 4433--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: Jack Date: March 16, 2018, 4:34 pm
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Mr. Perez was pretty obviously not happy with his son, and Brian
was pretty obviously miserable.
I was pretty honest with them - I like Brian, and he'd been a
good employee in every other way. I honestly hated having to
fire people, and especially someone like this. I certainly
didn't want to involve the police, but I felt that some parents
- and it's much worse now than it was 20 years ago - simply
refuse to except reality when it comes to their kids. I have
had kids caught red-handed, where their parents didn't believe
they'd done it, and refused to punish them.
Not the case with Brian.
I did show them both videos - the in-store vid of him walking
out the door with a handful of comics, and Herman's phone video
of him putting them in his car.
Brian didn't have much of an excuse. He admits he knew better,
but the temptation was just too much. He's usually only able to
work about 16 hours a week, and his dad is making him pay for
his own phone, gas, and comics, as well as putting some back in
savings. The problem is that comics are two-fold; he's been
getting interested in more since starting to work with us last
fall, and comics are very expensive these days. For comparison,
in 1976, minimum wage was 2.30 and comics had just gone up to 25
cents. In the early 80s, minimum wage was 3.25 and comics were
40 cents. Today, minimum wage is 7.25, and the average comics
costs between 4 and 5 dollars. A third part of the problem is
that he'd bought a new phone, thinking he was getting a good
deal, but the contract is eating up a bit more of his income
than he'd expected.
His father and I discussed discipline issues for a while, while
Brian sat there miserably. His dad had no idea what to do or
how long (or severely) to ground him. I admitted that I wasn't
sure what I'd do. I explained that I usually switched for
illegal behavior, and that I do paddle my older boys (adjusted)
school style for some behavior, but they usually have input into
it. We both agreed that this was really bad for a couple of
reasons (theft is wrong, but employee theft adds betrayal, and
when you're stealing from someone whose house you've visited,
and who is the father of friends of yours....). Brian was pretty
much squirming through most of this, though he really didn't
have much to say.
His father finally made him talk. Brian was very apologetic,
admitted how stupid he'd been and how bad he felt about it, and
said he'd take anything and that he deserved it all. Brian
hasn't been whupped since he was in 7th grade (skipping) and
that bare punishment had been extremely rare, but his father was
more than willing to allow me to handle that aspect however I
wanted - I think he was a bit grateful to avoid having to do it
himself.
(I started this post this morning, and am finally having time
and energy to return to it late afternoon.)
Let me stop here and stress that this wasn't a quick or easy
conversation. They arrived at 7pm, and it was slow and awkward
at first. After a few questions were answered, Brian was able
to sit back while his father and I talked, though I'm sure it
was far from a comfortable discussion for him. I explained that
I didn't want the police involved, as long as I thought he'd
learn a lesson otherwise, because I think teens and even young
adults, need a chance to screw up and make serious errors in
judgement without it destroying their entire lives. I explained
my views on consequences, why kids need them, and why a sore
butt isn't a horrible alternative. I then repeated that I hated
firing Brian, and that I wouldn't fire my own son.
Brian asked what I would do instead.
I explained that I would probably give a fairly extended
grounding, but one that started off very strictly and grew
easier. He'd probably have to work in the warehouse for a
while, under close supervision, and increased security (in a
case like Brian's, I'd probably make him turn in his keys when
he arrived, and search him before he left). And he was have to
accept a rather harsh session of corporal correction. And that
brought us to Mr. Perez asking if I would be willing to let
Brian keep his job, and asking Brian if he was willing to accept
those conditions, keeping in mind that his parents were also
really upset and disappointed in him, and that he was also
facing punishment at home.
Brian admitted that he was very upset with himself, and that he
didn't deserve a second chance, but that he would accept it. He
didn't change his mind when I told him what to expect.
Let me pause here to say that Brian has some acne trouble, but
he's really a pretty good looking young man. Despite his
Hispanic surname, his skin is about as pale as mine, though his
does have a brownish undertone. He also has black hair and very
dark brown eyes. He's a soccer and baseball player (part of the
reason he doesn't get a lot of hours), and he has a very good
build. He's a bit stocky, but he has an awesome butt - very
full, but maybe not a bubble butt, since he does have slight
dimples. He definitely fills out his jeans, though.
Brian was wearing a large, Texas A&M sweat shirt, and I had him
remove it (nearly thigh length). He wasn't wearing an
undershirt. I offered to let him keep it on, but rolled up, but
his father was fine with it, so Brian didn't get an option. I
explained that I normally had boys remove their pants, and why,
and Dad supported me, so Brian stripped down. I had to go
online after they left to find what he was wearing as underwear:
Shock Doctor, which is apparently a type of athletic
supporter/brief with a built in support. His legs aren't too
hairy. He does have hair growing up towards his navel, but his
balls are almost bare (makes me wonder if he trims). He hangs
about 4 inches soft, but he's about as thick as I am hard. He's
uncut, but big enough that part of the head still peeks out.
The hair around the upper base and sides is thick, black, and
curly. His bellies flat, and he has good calves, so it's a
pretty nice sight.
Brian has had swats in school, but nothing like he was about to
get, so I tried something I've seen in a picture recently - I
put the stool next to a chair, and had him bend over the stool
and hold onto the chair for support.
He was going to get 16 swats with the medium Lexan, and he'd
been warned that very few boys have ever had that many. We got
him down in position, and he came back up with a yelp at the
first swat, rubbing his butt. His dad told him to get back down
and stay down. He was suddenly sheepish and nervous, but he
did. He managed to stay quiet for the next two, but he cried
out again with the fourth swat, and was yelping loudly with each
one after that, and they got shriller and wetter, until he was
crying by the 7th. He got up after 9, and this time he wouldn't
go back down. His dad talked to him, and Brian said he didn't
want the job anymore. His dad told him that he'd earned this,
and had admitted he deserved it - with or without getting the
job back. I took a shot, and told him that I knew it was
painful and embarrassing, but that he was over half down, and
that I was proud of how brave he'd been so far. He started
crying a lot harder, but he went back over, and he was really
bawling at the next swat. He shrieked with the next few, and
after 12, he nearly fell off the stool. His dad helped him stay
up, and lifted him a bit, so his weight was completely on the
stool. I quit after 14. His dad questioned it, but he was
crying and coughing, and I doubt he even noticed I'd stopped
early.
His father and I talked some details and let Brian stay over the
stool for a while. When he got up, I handed him his briefs and
a handkerchief. He put them on, cleaned up a bit, then put on
his sweatshirt (but wasn't quite ready to dare those snug
jeans).
Because of the seriousness of his behavior, Mr. Perez is (was)
going to talk to his wife, and they were going to have a family
meeting, but Brian can expect complete grounding through the
rest of Spring Break - no phone, computer, video games, or
private TV (he can watch with his parents). I had described my
concept of seclusion, and he's going to spend Saturday that way.
While Brian has been hand spanked and belt whipped by his dad,
and paddled by his mom with the wooden spoon and hairbrush, he's
never been switched. His father has, though, and there's a good
chance Brian will experience his first one Saturday morning.
He'd already been removed from the work schedule the rest of
this week, but I picked him up at his house, and we met with
Dean and his assistants, and we talked about how Brian's going
to be handled at work for a while. They're willing to help out
and keep an eye on them. While I was driving them home, Brian
managed to apologize and thank me, though you could tell he was
kind of torn about the thanks.
#Post#: 4437--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 March 2018 - Fired!
By: db105 Date: March 16, 2018, 7:05 pm
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That's pretty harsh punishment, considering the grounding and
the possible whipping at home, but then what he did was quite
serious.
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