The Gig

Yesterday, I went to apply for two J O B S that Cherry spied on Craigslist. My first stop was the yes, beauty shop, top get my mane shorn. A lotta hair hit the floor. The second stop was a pawn shop looking for some temp (30Hours) help. No applications, they only wanted resumes. GREAT! I open my portfolio, opened a file within and handed him a resume with references. He was impressed that that came out fast. I then asked if he wanted to see the certificates I had for classes in people handling. He was surprised and commented that he too had taken some people handling classes. This guy is going ot make a decision very soon.
   The next stop was the KC headquarters of a nationwide janitorial company. I had to go to Kansas City to fill out an application for a part time job in Kearney, a small town 7 miles from me. Quite a few folks their filling out app's and I was the only, shall we say, not of color? Take a number, fill out an app and then wait for your number to be called for an interview. So about an hour later my number is called. I wished the HR lady a good morning and hand her my app, resume and some other documentation. I tell her I'm there for the part time job in Kearney and she smiles, scans my papers and asks if I can stay around for a while! So finding a seat with a cushion on it I settle in for the long haul. Some time later she asked me to come back to the offices and fill out a ton of papers. She took a picture of my smiling mug and made an employee ID card, gave an employee handbook and some other stuff. I watched a video on how to clean an office which looks like cleaning my house to me. So pending a background check I will be working 15 hours a week cleaning an office close to home. This one pays more than the pawn shop but has less hours.
Now for the interesting stuff. I was reading the employee manual and got to  the section about weapons. Of course it says you can't carry a weapon at work. Then it goes on to break State law and say you can't have a weapon in your vehicle in the parking lot. And these rules extend to the customers we may service. Missouri is one of the states that recently ruled you CAN have a weapon in your car in the parking lot of a business that doesn't allow weapons at work. Then I noticed that they also "forgot" to place the State required sign on the door stating no weapons allowed. The Missouri legislature has some very clear guidelines as to the signage require for this. Any way, not revealing what was in my truck, I was carrying an SOG Trident in my right front pocket. And you know what? I didn't freak out and go on a murderous rampage. Nary a violent thought entered my mind.  Here's a pic of my favorite cap, which I was not wearing (unlike some of the, uh, intercity applicants) my Trident and a sneaky little thing I have for carry in government offices. A Blackie Collins glass filled resin knife with assisted opening using beryllium copper springs. Not detectable by metal detectors! Ha ha, take that you minions. Even with a plastic blade it will cut. It's not intended as an every day knife or to use regularly but as a last ditch item for use in places that want you to disarm. I wish I had remembered this jewel when I went to the disability hearing. I did have it when I went to the vocational rehab interview though.