Flashback (20): The Grudge

I regret my life and the wrongdoings in the past few years. I should have worked and studied harder I think. Then I would be in a better situation now. I don't know may be not because there are people who had better situation that I did and they are in shit as well.

But the part I regret is hanging out with my buddies. I wish I still had that opportunity. This could mean nothing to many but is very amusing to me.

P. M. called me one night and said he wanted to watch a movie and named it as The Grudge. I told him that I did not know anything about that and also did not find it in movie listing. He said that it was showing in discount type of theatres now. I'm not sure about Brit"SHIT" Columbia but in Calgary there is (or may be was!) a theatre in NE part of the town that you could watch one week or longer movies in a small theatre with the almost same quality. So P. M. (not the Prime Minister) wanted to see me there. I looked at the address at the time and found it close to me place, may be only 10 to 15 Min. drive. I went there and waited and waited and I remember it was a cold and gloomy evening and he was late and I called him and his Dad picked up and I mixed him up with him which was very embarrassing! And he eventually showed up with his stupid and calm grim on his face and surprisingly we got there on time.

And what a movie! I could not watch it completely and had to cover my eyes at time! I don't recall much of that night. P. M. is still doing fine. He finished his 2-year program at SAIT after probably 4 years or longer! (He had as long as months off) got a job, got laid off because according to himself his boss told him that he expected more from him and then he got into another program, I guess an engineering one this one, a B. Sc., in Thunder Bay and that's where he is now. Now I believe people like P. M. are successful in life. People who are always calm and take everything easy, laugh and smile at everything. His ignorance and dumbness was (and I bet still is) significant. But should not forget that he always had the opportunity to stay with his parents the entire time that he did not have a job and was not doing well. I wish him better days. May be I envy him in some ways!

(Photo: A scene from The Grudge. I don't remember what was going on. I try not to!)

A Bad Day

Have you heard that song Bad Day by Daniel Powter? I had listened to it several times until today that I really had a bad day myself! I don't know if it was as bad as the one he describes in his song or was worse! Not that the other days are good! I'm still stuck to the crappy job after almost 2 years (It will be this Sep.) and receive shit on daily basis! So today the shit was completed(!): I got a warning! It means that I will be in a 90 days probation period and if anything happens I will be terminated! The contract itself will be expired in 4 months! just a month after the probation period and we don't know if it could be extended!

I left the office after signing the sheet as an acceptance of the warning and went to get the car. I was about to leave the parking lot when a gentleman told me that I had a flat tire! I don't know why I had not noticed! I looked at the panel and a sign showed the flat tire but it was too bright and hot (almost 30 degrees centigrade) that I realized that I had not paid attention. I pulled over and changed the damn tire! I still don't know what had happened! How would a new car get a flat tire in less than a year while it's parked in a public parking lot!?

Heritage Family

My time here's up as I failed the interview but I'd like to mention my experience of staying with D. H.'s family. I spent my first night at D. H.'s. It was him and his two sons, one of 'em an autistic boy. It's Ramadan now so for religious people like him fasting is a must. The poor kid was fasting too and he barely could walk! Fasting prevents you to do many things especially in the afternoon. The body is not able to function because of lack of food and water.

Anyways He wanted to make something ready for their feast, I would say! He asked me how many chickens were needed and asked me to help him with cutting the chickens. He started preparing the gravy by mixing different types of herbs and tastes.

When it was the eating time late in the evening around 22:00 hours or later the kid was dead! Then they started eating and that disgusted me! They were eating using their hands just like monkeys and of course they never washed their hands not even when he was preparing the food. This guy has been living in Canada and still eats like a Saharan Berber!

Then it was him delivering his regular speeches about religion, West, how he never became a slave here by not working! His wife was then back from a long trip and I saw her head wrapped in a scarf! It was almost 3 o'clock when I heard noise and I woke up. That was the bitch banging the dishes in the kitchen. Of course the entire house was a mess and she was pissed. She asked D. H. how he could have lived like that!! Not knowing that it was how he lived his most of life! Then she turned the light on and opened her suitcase up. Then they all lined up and started praying! It was began by the kid saying something as a preface and then D. H. took lead and prayed both in Arabic and English! The whole show was being played for about 20 min. with me laying just 3 feet away from them supposedly asleep! I don't know what kind of assholes let people in and then wake them up at 03:00 in the morning! The motherfucker could at least tell me what would be happening but the fucker is just a lazy, ignorant.

Standing Out

I went to Talisman yesterday to do a little exercises while I knew that they were working on its roof. Discussions about the necessity of a new roof for the complex was started in 2006 and earlier. So I went inside and started talking to the receptionist guy who said that he recognized me coming to do the exercises regularly! I remembered him too but wasn't expecting him to say so. I remember eyes were on me every time I would go there. I was amongst a few non-Caucasian. That's how remembers me!
Anyways he said the track, the main reason for me being there, was closed due to construction and would be opened in Jan. 2011! When I asked him about the daily admission he mentioned a $12 and few cents! I was taken aback! I paid that much though and spent about an hour in there doing a few pushes and pulls but it definitely not worth it.

GPS in 1988 Vehicle

I was surprised when The Chef told me that he drives back and forth to work. I remember the story he told me about his training session with a driving school trainer three years ago. This must be new. When I saw his car that was not exactly what I was expecting but was close enough: A 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX with several dents and scratches on the body and nice cracks on the windshield. The fuel gauge is not working! He said when the fuel level is low, then a light starts flashing! So when we wanted to get my stuff from The Brave's, I bought $10 gas before the start of the trip just to be sure.

The good thing about this car is it's GPS! When he told me that he had one, I barely believed him but then he showed me that and said it was not working. I realized that the system was switched off! So I turned it on, feed it the destination and it worked perfectly. He said that he had paid some $128 for that. May be I get one! But overall I don't like it because it makes you lazy and fool. If you're not familiar with the neighbourhood you're traveling in, it helps a lot though.

(Photo: A Garmin GPS similar to Hodani's is sold for $279.99 by Future Shop)

The 1st Step

I eventually passed the two exams yesterday with the skin of my teeth. I felt that I did better than the time before and was confident that I would pass if not with flying colours at least with a good score. But didn't happen. The important thing is that I passed it and it will be valid for the next 5 years. Not that I want to keep it untouched for that long!

Then I attended an orientation meeting for my physical examination. It was a good one. I think I'll be fine If I get enough rest before the exam. Overall it won't be an easy one but I will try my best.

A Job Forever

I remember a while ago the supervisor told S. T. that he could have had a permanent job there. That was a good news for him because he had just bought a condo and was really looking for a steady job that he could rely on. S. T. was asked to leave early this year by the supervisor as a result of poor performance! He was transferred to another job then got kicked out of that one as well after a few once. None of us ever knew what happened but I assume it was the same crap!Now the supervisor is gone himself! He was alleged of several misconducts including harassment. It was unbelievable to me when I was sitting with the other guys in a meeting room. There was somebody from the head office who had a thick file in front of him reading Confidential on the top! He told us all the allegations have been taken into consideration and the supervisor has been suspended. Then he wanted our opinion. I was sitting with wide open eyes hearing that people were saying they wouldn't be working if he's coming back! I was then said that he was outside the office wanted to come in and apologize but was held back by the investigator. Then it was that he wanted to come back and work desperately but when more of his wrongdoings were revealed he decided to resign! The problem was so big that the investigator even called a few guys who had recently quit their jobs. They thought the employees might have resigned because of the supervisor.

I didn't have much feeling for that. I was neutral. He helped me out a lot and at the same time deprived me of a very good position by giving a bad reference. I don't know if he was honest when he said that I was not a good team-player or was just being an asshole. He could give a positive feedback and I had a permanent well-paid job with excellent benefits and writing this stuff at the moment! It must have been hard on him losing the job. Otherwise he wouldn't have asked to come back and face the guys who basically hated him!