An Accidental Human
As a young girl attempting to complete my masters, I worked at a local store as a billing clerk to make ends meet. The money I made as a part timer at the store was just about enough to get me by in the hard times of Covid and businesses closing, no jobs, etc. At least I was lucky enough to survive.
One day as I was working the till, one elderly person came over and asked for another colleague of mine named John. I told him John was on another shift this week. He seemed a bit perturbed so I asked him if there was a problem. So elderly gent tells me that earlier in the week he had needed to take the shopping cart out for a while as he had bought a lot of stuff and asked John if he could. John told him it would be fine but he would need to put down some security deposit to ensure the cart comes back and which the gent deposited with John. Apparently 500 was the amount. Now he had brought the cart back and wanted his refund. I told him there was no such policy in the store and John may have done that to ensure the safety of the store cart and I would let John know that the cart was back, so he could refund the money. The gent was fine with that and left.
Well, John didn’t come to the store for a while and one day in the following week I saw the gent again. He was shopping for stuff, mainly food items and fruits. When he had finished, he had an overflowing cart and he came right over to the till to get billed. He had run up a bill of nearly 600 quid and as he took out his wallet he asked about John. I told him John was not available for a while and he quietly paid his bill and asked if could take the cart out. Well, knowing that John had his money, I said sure but requested him to return the cart before the end of my shift in the evening. He said sure and started to leave. I casually asked him how far he had to go to unload; he smiled and said – “why don’t you join me and see”? Since it was my lunch break anyway I thought hell why not and maybe I can help the guy unload all that stuff he had bought. So off we went, round the block to the back where there were row houses. He goes up to the first home, rings the bell and hands over some stuff from the cart to the person who answers. He goes to the next home, does the same. He keeps doing that till all the stuff in the cart is halfway. That’s when my manager calls me and screams his head off. “Where are you Carla? I am having to do the billing here and you have been gone for over 2 hours!”
Crap. I had lost track of time. I immediately apologized and said I am headed back and will be there in 10. That’s when the shock came. He says – “No need. Please come back after a month and clear your dues. You’re fired!”
My heart, face and feet sank into the ground. In these Covid times where would I get a job? I barely had 100 left in my account, I would never be able to last the month, let alone pay my rent. The gent saw my face and asked if anything was wrong? Damn right its wrong. My being here is wrong. My curiosity was wrong. I am without a job and about to be thrown on the streets and that is wrong. So. Yes, there is plenty wrong.
He sort of smiled with his eyes and said – “Don’t worry. Come with me to where I work. I think they are hiring and am sure a smart girl like you will be an asset”. Apparently it was not far so I went. He had no car and we walked. On the way I asked him what his job was? “I am the janitor” he replied. My mind went into a spin. On a janitors salary, this guy was helping so many families with their basic food and other stuff? I was truly amazed.
Anyway we reached his office and he took me in straight to the lady in HR and introduced me. “Jane, this is Carla and she works at the store where I buy my groceries. She is so helpful I thought you might want to hire her. And btw she has lost her job because she came to help me”. “Sure” says Jane. “Carla, do have a seat and give me 5 minutes.”
“Thanks Jane, see you “ says the gent and walks off. One hour later I had the job. Still part time but a promise for full time if I graduated. Wow! Call me lucky!
A week into my new job (I was put into the customer relations department) on a Friday, my boss Jeff comes up and says – “Weekly review Carla. Room #3” .
The room was full and Jeff was presiding. I was welcomed and introduced to the others. Then the review began. It was the normal discussion about growth, contribution etc. Till one guy, call him Jim, came up.
“Jim, this is the third consecutive week you have not performed. Please report for your Corrective Action Plan on Monday” says Jeff. Sure Boss.
Corrective Action Plan? What is this? Imagine my shock when I learn that anyone who does not perform on a weekly basis needs to do community service for a day. Missing your plan for a month leads to 3 days and missing for a quarter leads to a month, with only basic pay being given. If you wanted out, you had that time to apply and find a job. If you didn’t, well welcome back with the same conditions. The focus was on delivering what you promised, or don't promise. What kind of a job was this where the boss was not handing out the target? I found out at the end.
‘"Guys, this month we need to achieve a gross revenue of 500,000. How do we do it? Please take 10 mins and work out your contributions”. After 10 minutes he goes around the table to get a figure from each. Totals it up and comes to 450,000. “We are still short by 50K”.
“Ok Jeff, put it on me” pipes up a chap (call him Jack). “Great” says Jeff, “balance done” .
What? No handing over the targets? Nope, I am told. You are supposed to be responsible enough to rise up to meet the needs of the organization and promise your contribution based on what you can deliver. And what happens if I cant? Well, community service!
Oh well, I think. Strange policies but I guess I have seen stranger things. Life goes on. Till next month.
“Carla, please be here tomorrow at 7 am” . What? 7 am ? Saturday is my off and I have plans. “Jeff, I cant make it, I have some stuff to do. Anything urgent?” Jeff smiles and says “Damn right it’s urgent. Didn’t Jane tell you?” Nope she did not. Apparently every third Friday, the company policy was that all the staff got together and spent the day at – a foster home! And it was non-negotiable! “Jeff, I cant. I really cant. I need to be somewhere”. “Well Carla I guess you better tell that to the boss”. Now where did a boss suddenly appear. I thought Jeff was the boss. “Oh yeah, sure. Where can I find him”? Jeff smirks and says – “down that corridor at the end, the last door on the left”.
Off I go, down the corridor (I had never been down here before) and to the last door on the left. I knock and am asked to enter, which I do. That door opened a life before me.
The room was small. Very small. Dimly lit, with a nondescript desk. Behind the desk sat the janitor – hunched over a cubby desk talking to someone on the phone. He motions me to sit down. As I wait, in shock at the joke played on me by Jeff, I look around. On a wall, very prominently displayed was a poster – Job description of a Janitor. It read as follows :
§ Cleaning sweeping, scrubbing, mopping, waxing, and vacuuming to make a stainless office.
§ Mow, cut ,and trim to ensure proper growth.
§ Clean and polish for customers to enjoy a pleasant experience.
§ Make minor repairs to ensure smooth functioning
§ Maintain the supply and equipment needed
§ Make sure that waste bins are emptied to avoid trash
§ Take good care of the environment and surroundings.
§ Ensure employee safety
§ Any other item required to be done by staff.
Nice I thought. He needs to keep reminding himself of his duties. Probably should be retiring.
The phone call ends and the janitor look at me with a quizzical smile. “What brings you here Carla? All well?” “Sure Janitor sir, I think Jeff pulled a joke on me and sent me here. I had a slight problem”
“Yes, Jeff is quite the practical joker. But what is the problem?’
“See Jeff says tomorrow we all have to meet for a picnic at the foster home. I didn't know that and made my own plans which I cant avoid. So Jeff told me to tell that personally to the boss.”
"Oh Carla, that is serious indeed. You see, unless we don’t experience the society we live in, we cant serve it. And if we cant serve it, we cant understand their needs. And if we can understand their needs we cant sell our products. And if we cant do that, well, we will have to shut shop. And if that happens, 201 employees will lose their jobs”.
Ok. And?
A moment of silence and I hear my self saying “Ok I get that but I really need to see the boss and ask to be excused for tomorrow. I will take this up next month for sure.”
Suddenly there is a loud knock on the door and Jeff storms in. “Boss, here are the revenue commitments for the month. Seems we will be ok, but Jim will be going for community service.”
My mind in a whirl I hear the janitor say “that’s fine Jeff. He does need to go and take some time off. Lets track these figures on a daily basis so that we have enough warning in case things go south.” Jeff gives a thumbs up, gives me a smile and exits.
I sit bewildered. “Who are you?” I ask.
“Well Carla, folks here fondly refer to me as the Janitor”.
“Why?”
“Because I clean up.”
“You own this company don’t you? You are the boss”
“I lead this company Carla. “
“Then why janitor?”
“Because Carla, to be a leader you first need to be a servant. You need to be able to solve your employees problems; create a secure life for them; clean out issues troubling them as well as customers; If I can successfully serve them, they will serve our customers well. Please do read my JD Carla.”
He smiles. I leave. I am there with the team on Saturday at the foster home and I think that was the best day of my life.
Its been 15 years since that day. As I sit in my cubbyhole room today, I think back and recall the lessons I learnt from the Janitor.
Lesson #1 – Leadership through service
Lesson #2 – Humility
Lesson #3 – discipline
Lesson # 4 – Management by consensus and so on....
But. My biggest take away was that I am not an accidental human. I have a purpose.
On that last day I saw the janitor, I gently said to him, “you are an angel. You are going to your own now.”
His eyes had a dying twinkle as he replied
“Carla, we are all angels. Only, some of us don’t know it yet".
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