Well howdy stranger!

Tomorrow is my first non working day in just over 3 weeks.  I intend to fully utilize it by doing... absolutely nothing.  Now, whether the universe will cooperate with this plan is another story...

Major drama at the factory.  Major drama at the flea market.  And its a bit intertwined... when I got the job at the factory, N, a dealer at the flea asked me if they were hiring, because her son was desperate for a job.  So I broke my own rule and got him an interview. 

He got hired. 

First day... he showed up late.

At lunch, he was late getting back. 

Next day, he showed up on time... barely, and then went to lunch and came back on time... and evidently started to get sick. 

Next day, he called in sick.  At lunch, I get a message from his mom N about the flea.  I ask if he's OK, since he called in sick.  Turns out he's not sick and had told his mom he wasn't scheduled to work.  

At this time... I start backpedaling.  I'm one of those people who will run and tell on people, but on the other hand... if someone asks me a direct question, I ain't gonna lie to cover their ass ...  so I go out of my way to avoid being asked, signs of I am asked I answer with, "yes,"  "No," or " I'm not going to answer that" 

So, I spent the rest of lunch on the break room with other coworkers, and also my afternoon break.  That way no bosses can ask me questions,  and co-workers and I talked about the weather and such between burying our noses in books. 
Now N is harder to deal with... Friday I was at the flea.

I got to the flea and walked to the back door of the concession stand to get my coffee just lick always... Miss M, who runs it, said, "GO TO THE FRONT" And I went.... "OK" And went to the front.  Miss M handed me the coffee, said " I'll explain later... all hell broke loose..."

So, I opened my booth, and went to the picnic table, (my booth is next door to the concession stand and a few of the 'front dealers' sit at the picnic table when we're waiting for business to start, And if there's no customers sitting there)  So I'm sitting there with my coffee, and Miss M comes and joins me and says... "I'm sorry baby, but last weekend someone lifted 100 dollars from my register and I'm not allowing anyone in that building anymore.  They're coming to change the locks too... someone was in there over the week..."

Now this is interesting... there are only 3 people who had a key to that building... I know this because it's next door to me, but I'm not saying anything... regardless...  miss M continued... "I didn't mean to snap at you, but I've been crying all morning... It's not the damn money, it's just when someone who you call your friend steals from you..."

"Well, lots of people were in there..."

"No, I saw something Sunday... I know who it was... but God damn it all to hell... Anyway... I'm not allowing anyone in there.  I'm not really worried about you, you never go more than 2 feet in the door..."

"Well I've worked registers, I don't go near them because no one went near mine..."

"Damn right... how's K (N's son) doing up there?"

I filled her in.

"What a jack ass!  He got fired yet?" 

"He's definitely on his third strike..." 

"I would have fired his ass on the first day... after everybody has gone too all that trouble and his steps lent him the car to get there.  The ungrateful little Shit..."

In case you haven't noticed, at the flea market we are obviously all involved in each other's lives.    this has disadvantages, but also definite advantages... miss M is a definite mother hen who will feed you when you're down on your luck, cussing you all the time, but taking care of you regardless.   And like many with that hard exterior,  is a big soft heart.  she is one of the most fiercely protective people of her friends I've ever seen.   To see her taken advantage of And stolen from by a person she has defended from an accusation in the past infuriates me. 

No,  I didn't ask which dealer did this.  I'd already pretty much figured it out in my head... but I can't do much about it either. 

After our conservation  ended, I was back in my booth, silently fuming, and thinking I would have been better off asking for Friday shift at the factory, which I would have gotten because they needed someone to make up for lost production when K didn't show up, than dealing with this drama at the flea, when I get a text from N.  Saying, direct quote... "that prick of a son of mine either got fired or he quit, he can't get his story straight."

It seems he showed up late, and whatever transpired, well, it transpired. 

And I was suddenly quite glad I wasn't at the factory...
Well... not only is said son, with a child and a pregnant wife, jobless again... but There's also a missing iPad and suddenly said jobless son has cash...

And I swear, I will never recommend someone for a job again. 

Just for the record... all that was the abbreviated and condensed version.  There's lots more details and I just don't have the energy to type them...