i quit a job a month ago. it's a job that lasted more than a month. a rare thing indeed. it's a chiropractic operation. it was introduced by linda, my mom's friend, a jehovah witness as well. she is doing cleaning for the clinic for a few years now. she knew the chiropractist personally. and it seemed that he needed a receptionist recently. i needed a job. so she introduced me to him.
before i went to the interview. i checked his website as linda told me. it was a well setup website. but the impression i got from it was that the doctor was flamboyant, a bit narcissistic too. because it's just a chiropractic clinic, the website was too formal, it took itself too seriously. i was a bit alarmed. however, i needed to work. i would do anything. the interview was okay. but when i set my foot in the clinic the first time, my gosh, it was like walking into an infant toy store. it's not like a chiropractic clinic at all. kind funny thinking about it now. i was the same as before, nervous and stuttering during the interview. linda called my mom a day after the interview, doc thought my english was not good, but he was willing to work with me. so i got the job.
the doc was big and bulky with a mustache. he has a polish last name, botzioch. the job started at the last week of march. i can't quite remember what's the first day looked like. i just remembered that i started around noon. i was alone with him in the clinics. he went through some basic stuff with me. and i remembered that he taught me how to answer the phone, and he's very particular about it. i have to say "hi, it's a fantastic day at atlantic chiropractic, it's jack, may i help you?" then his real receptionist, sarah, came in between 1: 30 and 2. i did some filing for her. then i went home that day quite early. i probably thinking, it's okay. although my chest was bubbling the whole time. i am not sure now if it's because it's interaction with strangers, or the confine of the small clinic, or maybe something else. the boss was okay, in my reasoning, to demand me to talk on the phone in certain way. although i just didn't understand, why i could not change the greetings...
something made me unease from the day one on the job. i mentioned it to my mom. but both me and my mom shrugged off thinking that must be because i just started a new job. then there came the outbreak of a rage from me. i thought it must second week in the job. or maybe it's the first week. i really could not pinpoint the time right now. it was a tuesday though. i went to the job in the morning. it would not be opened until afternoon. doc gave me a job to write the board , which he apparently kept outside with some encouraging or inspiring words for people passing by. i did it once last week. so yes, it's my second week. he gave me a new sentence, and told me to write it. then he told me that he's gonna step out and will be back later. i first cleaned the board with much effort, because doc liked to use a pen that would take some effort to rinse off. then i kept deciding how was i going to approach it. apparently, i could not decide at all! then doc called, i apparently did not greet with what he had wished for, then after he heard that i had not finished writing the board, he was annoyed. then i probably answered his urgent hurry up with "yeah, yeah". when he came back, he put me in a room. then he lashed out, "i went out for 3 hours, and you could not even finish writing the board? what were you doing? and what you think of me? you buddy? yeah, yeah...? what's that? i am not your buddy! i am your boss! and how come you did not answer the phone with the line i gave you? you really should write them down! don't you need the job? isn't it necessary to you? ...." i started stuttering, sweating, and scared half to death... after that i quickly finished the board.
but after i went home. i could not contain myself at all. on my defense, the reason i could not finished the board was because i have a hard time making any decision. i kept trying new things, new style to fit the board for 3 hours. i felt that i don't know what he really wanted. but apparently, he just want the job done and writing recognizable. yeah, now, i know... then yes, it's a very easy task. it shall not take more than an hour. i can understand the blame, but i am still disgusted over it. i hate people doubt my integrity for working hard or not. of course, we just started working together. but i could not let the whole thing go. the yeah yeah thingy, was just the way i used to respond to almost anything. and the greeting. the damned greeting. although i had to admit, it's my own fault. i did not understand what a receptionist entailed at the time. but the most annoying of all was that he said that i need this job?! i wondered what did linda tell doc about me and my situation. i was very tense in the clinic, it made me very uncomfortable. i did not understand why. but this idea of i needed to be there, the saying was like doc was my salvation for my situation was huge spur for me. not in a good positive way... i hated the saying, absolutely hated. the whole feeling of confined, restrained, and oppressed in the clinic space was then exploded in my chest. the next day, wednesday was the first day that i had to be at clinic at 6 in the morning. i told my mom that i was going to quit. i stormed out of my house that morning about 5.50. i got there about 6.20. i went there screaming at the doc i wanted my money and i quit. it seemed that doc was very slow to react, he just said it's okay to quit, but i need to give him time to find some other people. i really did not care, i yelled at him for pay check. he then got angry too, thinking that i assumed him being an asshole not paying what i deserved. he went back to write up the check. i still could not contain myself, i slammed my bag on the chair and started shaking like a leaf in storms. he came out to the front with a check. he directed me to a room and ask me what's wrong? and i started blurred out all the reasoning i just mentioned above. then with reasoning and feedback from his part, i calmed down. i agreed to stay on for the job. i took the paycheck. i thought we agreed for my two weeks notice, or until he found some other people.
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