[ WP ] You 're having a rough day at Walmart . You did n't get a raise , your day-off request was denied , and now the goblin army of Xhijab has conquered the women 's clothing isle ...

Sitting in Steve's office, waiting for him to bother showing up and meeting with me, I wondered about whether I should stay here until after Christmas season ended, or head to Target and hope for a job in receiving. True, jumping ship now meant that there'd be a long wait between paycheques just as rent was due, but Target paid $.10 more an hour and I had enough experience that I could probably get 30 hours a week. 
 
 Steve's horsey laugh interrupted my thoughts. He was in the break room next to his office, flirting with Janet in Sporting Goods. She was half his age and unattached, which made her a prime target. She hated Steve, but she still laughed at his jokes because he'd put her in Toys for a month when she told him she was n't interested in him. Getting put in Toys for the Christmas season would be Hell on Earth. 
 
 Twenty minutes after our scheduled meeting, Steve finally entered his office. 
 
 `` Sorry to keep you waiting,'' he said as he set his coffee mug on a stack of papers. `` Been busy all day. And thanks for coming in a bit early; I know you have to clock in soon, so let's get to it, okay?'' He took a slow, deliberate swig of his coffee, then continued. `` It's coming up on Christmas, and we need all hands on deck until mid-January. You know the deal; you've been here since... let me see....'' he shuffled through a stack of manila folders. 
 
 `` Two years come February,'' I said. 
 
 `` Two years. Long time. So you know how it is. I ca n't give you a Saturday off just because your sister is getting married. Think of the shoppers who are gon na be all over the place: who's gon na help them out?'' Seeing that I was unfazed by that line of reasoning, he leaned a bit closer and said, `` what about your co-workers? Think it's fair they're gon na have to pick up your slack on a Saturday? I doubt they'll like that.'' 
 
 Whatever. I figured he would've said no anyways. I just made a mental note to trade with Jimmy. He owed me a day and did n't work Saturdays. Mostly I had brought it up so that I could leverage my next demand. 
 
 `` So If I'm too valuable to get a day off --'' he squinted at me suspiciously -- `` then I'm going to have to ask for a raise. Fifteen cents an hour.'' I folded my arms across my chest, hoping to look calm and collected. He thought it over for a few seconds. 
 
 `` No.'' *Shit! * `` Labour's way too high as it is; I mean, yeah, i it sucks being on minimum wage --'' 
 
 `` For two years,'' I interrupted. 
 
 `` Right. But that's a good thing for you.'' Seeing the bemused expression on my face, he explained. `` If you get a raise, one of three things are going to happen: either A: you're going to lose hours, which means less pay each week; B: I have to cut someone else's hours -- you would n't want me to do that, would you? -- or 3: you might lose your food stamps, which means you'll be paying more for food. You think Walmart pays you so little because we're greedy? No, it's because we take everything into consideration and pay you what works out best for you.'' This was, of course, the unofficial Walmart responce to any requests for raises, and was complete bullshit. Still, I had hoped that two years would've earned me something. Fuckers. I simply shrugged my shoulders. 
 
 `` I just wanted to give you a chance to meet what Target was offering me,'' I bluffed. He seemed to have bought it, judging by how it piqued his interest. He did n't respond, though, so I stood up and made my way out. `` Guess I'll go punch in.'' 
 
 End part one.
