Parting

I've been working for Kroger (store 410) for 4 1/2 years.  This week is my last week there and I have been thinking a lot about how much time one spends at work and how miserable it must be to actively dislike your job or coworkers.  I've been lucky.

Generally speaking, I don't care for retail.  My face shows incredulous instantly no matter how hard I try and there are just too many incredulous moments when dealing with the public.  I have stumbled through though and for the last 2 years have been the store receiver, interacting with vendors and the whole other world that exists behind the front end.

I have gotten to know so many people I wouldn't have known otherwise.  The personalities are huge and funny and sometimes infuriating but I wouldn't have missed it. 

There was the time the milk delivery person arrived so early that he went to bed in his truck cab.  One of my coworkers went to wake him at 6 and he jumped up-buck naked.  To this day I can't look at the guy without laughing.  My coworker was so indignant and grumbled all day about things swingin' in the wind. 

The time I kept seeing something in my peripheral, so many times that I questioned my health only to realize a large bird had made it's way inside.

The all around job guy that sings Kroger radio like a boss, changing the lyrics to make Kroger the bad guy, or the good guy or the discarded lover.  He's also a Redskins fan and we're a rare breed these days.

The time they put a mouse trap in my desk..the countless times they've put something in my reclaim bin deliberately upside down and open. 

All of the crazy makes me sad to leave it tomorrow.  I'm excited for our move but wish I were keeping my work family.  I'll miss them a lot.