Meet my lady boss.

she's always been fierce, actually. she's always had this look in her eyes, telling people not to mess with her. she has this threatening stance, and the way she waves her spreading knife around when she's telling someone off.

meet my lady boss.

honestly i never had a bad first impression of her. i was never scared of her or anything. i just didnt like the way she treated people sometimes. sure, i hate humans too but she used to brag to me about how she'd gotten a cert for service or some shit like that.

she did treat me like her own daughter sometimes. she stood up for me numerous times, when people were discriminating me for being Malay, and her for hiring a Malay.

she knew about how i was fending for myself, because my parents werent giving me money. when school started, she decided to give me my pay weekly, instead of the usual "every 5th". i was very grateful for that, really.

she always got snacks and meals for me, and on the days i worked 12 hours, she'd thank me again and again as way of her gratitude. i was sincere in helping her, because sometimes her other workers werent very dependent. i was more than happy to aid her.

but that's the bright side of her. i have more things that i disliked about her than i appreciated about her.

for one, she may sayang me like she said she does, but upon her arrival, if she sees one little screw-up in the shop of hers, she'd stay mad at me the entire day.

and by mad, i mean mad. on her normal days, she'd talk to me nicely if i dont serve our customers up to her standards. but on her mad days, even if i do things properly, she'd find something to get irritated about and would yell like shit away at me.

and sometimes i doubt her "sayang" too. i know she talks about me behind her back. on the days i was sick, she'd gossip to my replacement about how i was lying just so i wouldnt have to work. yes, this is how she really thought of me.

i've been taking this attitude of hers for six months. the last straw was about two weeks ago, on a Sunday. Sunday mornings are when i usually work with one of my girlfriends. we call these mornings "party", because we'd really make a party out of all the bread and ingredients that were free of charge for us.

so this particular day, there was an order for about 35 curry puffs, to be ready by 1pm. this was the time that lady boss and boss usually arrives at the shop.

additional info which may aid in understanding the story later: i had checked my phone to see two missed calls from a private number, which i decided not to bother with anymore after i had chucked my phone into my pocket. because what could i do? i couldnt call back, it was private number.

my girlfriend and i had managed to bake the 35 of them on time, but we were confused about how to pack them. one big box or two small boxes? each option was flawed, in the sense that our lady boss would definitely find fault either way.

and if we asked? she was bound to get mad and say something like "you all how long work here already? this one also dont know meh?" yes, we knew the way she was.

there were no customers at the time but i'd stayed outside at the counter while my girlfriend was in the kitchen, taking out the batch out of the oven. she had called me from inside, wondering how to pack the curry puffs, and i went in to take a look.

unluckily for us, lady boss arrived a second after i had stepped in, and the first thing she did was yell, "why are the both of you inside here? then who's taking care of my counter?"

so i answered, "i just went inside." i'd said it calmly, but it just pissed her off more, and she decided to start a new argument: "why i call you so many times you never answer?"

it was then that i remembered that her phone number was a private number. "oh yeah i never see. i saw only two missed calls and it never crossed my mind that it was you."

and this simple sentence pissed the shit out of her. the following is the argument that had taken place. i'm too lazy to write this in perfect English sentences \o/ [and i speak Singlish with her too, cause my cheem English is too high a standard for her]

her: then you see already why you never call back?
me: i didnt know it was you.
her: how come you dont know is me? you dont have my number meh??
me: huh? i have la.
her: then why you never call back?
me: cause you call me is private number what.
her: what private number?? if you have my number then confirm when i call you got my name what! you never save my number is it?!
me: i did. it's just that when you call me is private number.
[at this point of time i was getting really agitated]
her: WHAT PRIVATE NUMBER!?!? *takes out her phone and shows me her calls list* you see if i call people confirm got their name what. like this one, i call you got your name what! i call Linda also, got her name what! what private number!?
me: no, no, when you call me, my phone says private number. your number from last time private number already what! *shows my log of missed calls, and shows her "private number"*
her: means you never save my number lah!
me: *shows contact book* i did, i save your number as your name, see?
her: *muka dah kalah* *waves her hand* aiyah i dont know what you talking lah! must be your phone stupid lah, call you also no have my name!
me: it's freaking private number!
[yes, i was getting really pissed and i didnt want her to get away thinking she was right.]
her: IF YOU GOT SAVE MY NUMBER CONFIRM HAVE MY NAME WHEN I CALL YOU WHAT!

she asked my girlfriend, almost pleading for her to back her up, but all she could say was, "my phone no caller ID, everyone call me also all private number."

still, my lady boss was unhappy and wasnt gonna let me get away with it. she continued making her statement to the big boss, going on and on about the missed calls, the saved contact, and private number, blah blah blah. boss didnt answer her that much though, so she just rambled on away.

i went off at 3, thank goodness, and went off to meet my boyfriend, and while we were on our way to Harbourfront to break fast with his classmates, i told him all about it.

the next morning i woke up to see texts from my girlfriend, saying that our lady boss had tested out the private number thing by calling one of our colleagues. and she realised that i was right! but of course, proud as she was, she stayed speechless and didnt say anything more about it after that.

that night i decided that i should only work on Saturdays instead of both the weekend days. my studies were declining. my lady boss had mentioned before school started, that if i could only work for one day, she'd understand because studies were important for a kid like me after all.

so i texted her, telling her that i was only able to work on Saturdays from then on. and it being the fasting month, i could only last 8-3pm temporarily. "hope you understand", i had added.

she didnt reply me straight. instead, she told my girlfriend to pass on the message to me. "eh auntie say if you can only work like that she say she rather fire you."

first thing that pissed me off, why couldnt she text me herself? she'd always been texting my girlfriend to text me when i text her. when i tried to do the same to her by texting my girlfriend to text her, she'd come to me the next working day and snap, "why you cannot give sms me yourself? why must ask your friend give sms me?"

second thing that pissed me off; her hypocrisy. she did mention that it was okay if i could only work one day a week. she mentioned it many times, in fact!

so i told my girlfriend, "hey, tell her she can't fire me. because i quit!"

and that Sunday afternoon that i had finally stood up for myself against her? it was the last day i ever worked.

so you're saying i'm ungrateful for this job? i am thankful. i really am. i just cant stand the way she treats me anymore. do you know that me and my girlfriend are the only workers who know how to work the morning shift? i was opening shop for lady boss every day during the holidays, and on weekends when i had school.

on the days i couldnt work? she was the one who opened the shop. she had to work 9 in the morning to around midnight every single weekday. shouldnt she be grateful that at least i had opened up shop for her on those days that i could?

and damn, the way she talks about me behind my back. i've always helped her when she needed staff, and i was always working alone on damn busy days. i was probably the only sincere worker she had compared to all her China girls!

so there we have it. i'm jobless now. i didnt have any regrets, and honestly i still dont. i'm just not sure how i'm gonna fend for myself now, and how am i gonna earn money during the holidays without any job? ugh, fuck me. it's okay, i'll find a way. like i always do.