The Shining

Two months has passed since I've started this shit job but I must stick to it until I find something else. The supervisor, The Weird Guy today, again, invited me for lunch! This time it was Lamb, Turkey and Potato in a sort of stew but with no juice. It was delicious but there was so much freaking fat that hours after eating I still could feel the damn fat in my stomach as it's difficult to digest that thing! It was not a celebration of two months or anything like that though! Just a coincidence.

Here the people I have to work with on daily basis rather than the supervisor are:

1- An old woman who at time could go crazy but I don't have much problem with her. She had given me food from her section several times and every time she needed help I immediately provided that. She complains and nags a lot but that's part of her age, being close to retirement. Today though she had a nice argument with the supervisor and both were upset. Unfortunately I was too far away to be able to hear them. I just saw the woman bolted off angrily!

2- A fat woman who says that she used to be 500 Lbs. and now she's probably 200 Lbs. or more, I'm guessing! The thing is if you're that fat and your belly is hanging in front of you why the hell do you have to eat Potato Chips, Chocolate Bar, Coke and all other stuff which has nothing but Sugar and damn carbohydrate?! She's been nice to me though and always helpful. My help to her could be giving eating advises which she would not follow. So what's the freaking point?!

3- A retard! He really is a retard and the best thing you could do facing him is just to avoid him although at time he would approach you and tells you some stupid story out of blue! 

4- And last but not least The Shining Guy! This is a young Caucasian fella in his early to mid. 20's who works like a horse. He always is the first one in the facility and he always is busy with something though at times he sneaks to some food and snacks himself. I guess I would have had a very hard time, if he had not worked there with me because he does lots of physical work and rapidly.

Why do I call him The Shining Guy is because he barely talks to me or anyone for that matter and since we started there we communicate, most of the time, through The Shining! This is clear for the fellas who have seen The Shining by Stanley Kubrick based on Stephen King's of a novel of the same name. We maneuver around and work things out without even opening our mouths!

" ... without opening our mouths "  is what Dick Hollarann (played by Scatman Crothers) told Danny (played by Danny Lloyd) in a conversation when he offered Danny some Ice Cream. Basically what he was saying is that there are people who are able to communicate without speaking to each other. He also says that these people also have the ability of seeing things which have happened in the past or will happen in future. I won't tell the whole story to spoil it for the ones who hasn't seen it. Get the 1980 masterpiece of Kubrick and enjoy it. It is one of the best movies that I've ever seen. Its sequel has just been released, named Dr. Sleep. I'm planning to catch it as the first movie of 2019! 

(Photo: the scene in the kitchen. Dick Hollarann and Danny Torrance, characters of the movie, of course are engaged in a conversation about The Shining)

A Fully Oriental Interview

I received a call from an Oriental girl in regards to a position that I had applied, last week. I could barely understand her but she kept going! I had to interrupt her a few times and ask her to repeat herself. With lots of difficulty she wanted to let me know that they were interested in me and wanted to interview me for the position. The interview was set for yesterday, a cold, snowy and bad day for driving! Add to that being Mon. which is the day that the majority of people in North America hate it and then you 'd have to drive on a busy highway in the dark chilly morning while the wind blows snow all around and everywhere. I, however, and despite all of that reached there on time and before the Oriental girl, whom, later on, know to be from the HR and one of my interviewers! I was wowed by the building, the office and generally everything. Very clean, organized and almost everything new compared with the place that I've been working in, for the past 2 months now. I was directed to a room and then the girl showed and after a few minutes of delay the supervisor joined us, who appeared to be Oriental as well! I had heard them talking in their native language outside the room. 

The girl started the interview and they asked questions in turn. The guy was easier to understand but what caught my eyes was the girl's beauty! Shiny, silky long hair, small milky hands with beautiful fingers and nails, her lips, eyes, everything looked very delicious but I was focused! The supervisor had an eyes on the resume and at the same time was listening to my answers and seemed that he liked to hire me. He, unlike what I thought at the time, was fair. The employment condition they explained was much better what I have at the moment although it's far away and the hours suck. 

I left the premises at about 08:55 and by the time I reached worked it was 10:30! I had to go and change too. Now if this job is obtained, I can do a few things by making more money especially because I would be scheduled for more than 40 hours a week. 

(Photo: This is not taken on the interview day by the whether was quite similar. Just thought there should be a picture for this post like any others)

Horse Meat

I was at work today and the supervisor, The Weird Guy called me to his office. It's been nearly two months that I have been at this work and despite the low wage, there hasn't been any major issue except for the time that he said that one of the orders had been picked incorrectly by me. I didn't argue but showed my displeasure of wrong accusation without any evidence and enough investigation but let it go. 

When he called me to the office, the first thing went through my mind was lay offs and simply not having the job any more. However he asked me to wash up and join him for a little meal! I know this is something very strange in Canada but for Canadians only! For us, foreigners, many of us, inviting colleagues and friends for a supper or lunch is normal. For Canadians, you could be working with them, be neighbours or buddies, they want to call it, for years and not going even for a coffee. It's like the asshole that I've told his story already. The food was really good and we talked about life, old countries and in general it was nice 15 minutes with him, whom I plan to befriend. He offered me a small piece of meat that he said it was horse! I had never tried it so I did! It was chewy but a complete different taste from any other meat that I had before. We talked a little bit about where this type of meat is eaten, where it can be purchased in Alberta and stuff like that. He said that when the horse is old and ridden a lot, it's meat then become old and chewy! I was going to say: Like this. But didn't! I knew Hungarian eat a lot of horse and he said that there was plant in southern Alberta that even exports to Asia. Good for them. Anyways I could not say no to him when he called me and I would have never done that, even if I was full! 

(Photo: I've been to beef and chicken processing plants, I mean I've worked in both and I know how the system works. It's interesting here in Canada. This is apparently horse slaughtering system. Different from both, of course)

Flashback (34): The Jail Guard

I once had an opportunity to become a cell guard, if I can call it, for an RCMP detachment in British Columbia, years ago. I don't recall exactly how I was notified of that position but our office, as Bylaw Officers was next to the RCMP. So I must have been let know somehow! The interview, if I remember correctly, was held by a lady and a gentleman both in civilian. We used to go to the detachment for some administrative things every single day and perhaps I have seen the lady in there. She took me in to the cell and show it to me. A small concrete room with a toilet! The lady told me that I needed to watch the detained persons all the time as once, recently, she added, a boy had tried to hang himself with shoelaces!! I don't know how someone could do that but they apparently do! 

I also remember once I asked her why the officers never smile and she said and I quote here, because police associates with death! I do not agree. We also talked about the supervisor and his involvement in the hiring process, possibly as a reference and she said and I quote again, forget about him. They apparently even had called my previous job's reference but I never got the offer and I guess it was probably because the application took long enough to coincide with me being asked to leave and of course the RCMP would not hire someone who has recently been asked to leave his job! I found a job shortly after that and moved on and then an offer from Calgary where I'm ever since! 

This reminds me also of a number of other jail guard positions that I've had so far, namely Correctional Officer position. I guess there were about 4 or 5 and either with Federal or Provincial but the last one was suggested by A. F. and I turned it down and didn't even apply. I know after going through the training for two Federal positions, this would not be something that I could do. I have to do something in civilian world.

(Photo: This jail guard in Aylesbury, England was sentenced to 8 months in prison for sending inappropriate messages and photographs to an inmate back in 2015! There's no doubt that only a loser would do such a thing but what I'm not sure about is the type of mental sickness that a woman like her might suffer from! This story once also was heard in a Canadian prison! Pathetic, sick, losers!)

My Ticket and Freeloaders

I always hated freeloaders at public places: Public transport, cafes with internet access, parking, you name it. It specifically pissed me off when I go to a cafe for a beverage and some reading and see an asshole, cheap steps in, sits her or his ass down and starts going through his phone like a pathetic loser he or she is! For some serious businesses, there're penalty. Some others such as fast foods and cafes, they don't care much.

With that in mind I was in a McDonald's a few weeks ago, studying for an upcoming examination and enjoying a cup of coffee. Stepped out after probably more than one and a half hour. When I approached the vehicle I saw something on the windshield: It was a parking violation ticket for $63! I had parked at the very same fast food parking lot more than 50 times and had never received any ticket! I looked around and so the sign! What could I do? I paid it before it goes up and now when I go there and aim to stay over an hour, I park on the street! 

I find it ridiculous though! Is that for every McDonald's? What if there's a Playplace? I know each location is managed individually and independently but I wonder if complaining to McDonald's Canada would do anything? I didn't, of course. However I decided to go and sit in a McDonald's, possibly the very same(!) without buying anything (I only drink coffee. I don't even touch any nasty, disgusting shit that they call food in there!) and enjoy the sitting and reading or Internet service. I think I would do that as many as, at least 36 times! I mean my next 36 visits to any McDonald's in Canada(!) would not consider purchasing anything, not even a small coffee! How did I come up with number 36? It's simple: I paid $63 for that ticket and each medium coffee (the size that I normally drink) is $1.77. If you divide 63 in 1.77 you'll get 35.59 ~ 36!  It's sound like a cheap gut but that's not how a business treat its customers.

(Photo: A McDonald's lobby during a weekday and before supper time. It's not very cold or half of the seats were occupied by homeless, drug-addicts, drunkards and such!)

How Pathetic is Canada?

If this above question ever came to your mind, I had the answer for you: Canada is the most pathetic country in the whole world! There's no doubt about that. There're so many issues with this country that I can write a book about it but if you asked me why I'm here despite these problems I would say I didn't know when I came first and it was not this bad. Can I still go back to the old country? Perhaps I could but not with this new sanction. I've thought about that, to be honest but couldn't make the decision. Besides the problems in the old country now has grown so big since I left that it might be very hard to fix them. Problems in Canada? Not that hard to fix as long as people just stop:

1- Boozing up themselves excessively!

2- Doing too much drugs (and that includes Marijuana!)

3- Being so obsessed with their dogs and cats!

4- Eating too much crap

5- Being selfish asses

... and finally:

Get their heads out of their asses! 

One of the recent troubles was with this Chinese woman, the CFO of a crap company whom the US ask Canada to arrest and they did. Why I say crap company because apparently the company that she works for is a cellphone company and there's no phony company like a cellphone company! Why the hell would you need a new cellphone every freaking year??!! Don't matter if that's the phone from that asshole's company, S. Jobs or a shit Chinese company with a woman as its CFO. You don't need a freaking cellphone every freaking year, asshole! 

Anyways they arrested the woman in Vancouver and was going to hand her to the American authorities and I guess she is on trail now. The Chinese immediately started their retaliatory actions after her arrest! First they put a ban on importation of a number of major Canadian products including Canola! Then arrested a number of Canadians and they are still kept there and the Government of Canada cant's do a damn thing! Who knows what the Chinese is capable of doing next?

Then there was the issue with the murderers of Saudi Arabia or this one happened first! A Canadian politician criticized the brutal murderers regime of Saudi Arabia and the reaction from them was quick: They called all of the medical student back to the country! Can you imagine what economical impact that could have had on Canada?! Rich Saudi students who probably spend thousands in this country every month left and once again the Government of Canada couldn't do a damn thing! 

Stories of such can be narrated for hours but I'm going end it here now.

(Photo: A daily advertisement in Calgary Sun about the two Canadians in Chinese custody. Funny that all the diplomatic actions haven't work and the guys are still there and some reporter thinks that by calling the Chinese embassy those two could be freed!)

Poor Hungry Europeans

For nearly 10 years I considered A. F. a friend of mine although during this long period I only visited him once at his place. He helped me quite a bit: When I was going to CFLRS, when there was a job available in his area, as a reference, and the time I went for career which I failed(!) as well. Why I visited him only once and he never did? Because he lives in British Columbia. We worked together briefly back there and then stayed in touch until just a month ago!

With that in mind, this is happened about a month ago: I normally don't expect much from my friends but I expected him to at least invite me for a lunch or dinner when I went to his hometown for a job interview that he introduced me to a few years ago. At the same time I know that he's a henpecked! He barely does anything without his wife's permission, I realized. He gets 12 days off and while his wife is on a work trip, he doesn't dare go further than 2 Km away from home, visiting his parents only! I still stayed friends with him. When I was in his hometown, he came to my hotel and took me to show me around which I appreciated but during a short walk I dropped my telephoto lens to a sort of ravine and instead of going with me to get it or waiting for me, he said that would take one hour to get it and drove away! I got the lens, which was broken and later I had it replaced by Canon (thanks to them!) in less than 15 minutes and called him to come back and get me! I don't know where the loser went but probably to do something with his home or an order from his wife! He didn't even offer me a beverage while I was at his place! I again considered that as him being immature and kind of cheap and kept my relationship alive.

I e-mailed him a little more than a month ago and I told him I was in a Holiday Inn in his hometown just to test him. Instead of saying how good to have you in the neighbourhood. Let's get together for a lunch or come over to my place, the asshole wrote: What are you doing in ____? Can you imagine someone so stupid and insensitive?! What kind of person are you that I didn't know throughout all these years?! I knew he grew up in a poor family and barely had anything to eat but he and his wife has been working for the Federal Government for years and have been making good money. They have 3 or 4 cars between the two of them with no kids (His wife never wanted any and since he's a henpecked, he agreed!), they own a nice house and possibly purchased the property next to it (That's what he said they wanted to do when I was there)

The funny thing is he told me on the phone just shortly after the e-mail exchange that they had a plan to come to Calgary and I showed that I was ready to host them! Don't you just learn from people?! I even had invited him a few years ago but he made an excuse and didn't come. After he asked me what I was doing in his hometown, I said I was there for something that I could not tell him and then asked him if I could stay with him for a couple of days? Again, just to test the idiot! He never wrote back to me again! I decided not to write back. A person who is so cheap that he does not even answer to your request, how can he be a good friend? He could have at least made an excuse or tell me the real reason behind not being able to host me. He could have at least told me that his wife didn't like persons like me to stay in their place! I know that was the reason but he's so pathetic that he can't even admit that he is not allowed to do anything without his wife's permission! I have been friends with The Mumbling Guy since 2012 and he's a real cheap guy but he's East Indian and that's what they all are because of their life style in decade but centuries. Besides he at least offered me his basement when I told him that I didn't have any place to stay! As The Chef said once: These people, Canadians, the majority of them, are nothing but poor hungry Europeans! There's nothing wrong with being poor, hungry and even European! What is wrong is being the decedents of those people and being asshole, cheap, idiots and that's what A. F. is! 

(Photo: Poor hungry European children circa the second European war time which is known as the Second World War!)

A Very Surprising Call

There's not much going on these days. Just working the damn low-paid job, coming home, have something, watch something and go to bed. The only change these days is the whether. The second snow of the season fell today on the ground and I just was having my supper that the telephone rang. This was the surprise of the life: The Mumbling Guy called! 

Some who are reading this might ask what the big deal is. It's a huge deal that the someone like him calls! In the past 4 years that we have not been working together anymore this is the first time that he calls me without me calling him or e-mailing first! I actually was thinking about him today and there he was. He, surprisingly, wanted to know how I was doing. For someone like him who doesn't care about anything but his family and his own personal life, which is very valid, don't get me wrong, it's quite surprising that calls to see how someone else is. 

Anyways we talked a bit and I gave him a twisted version of my situation which is a different story and then his wife jumped in and they talked in the native language for a bit and he got back to me after that. We decided to meet sometimes soon and that was it. It may sound a stupid post to many but what I'm wondering what makes him call me. I know some people seek pleasure in others difficulties. When we were working together he was my superior but was always nice and helpful. If there was somewhere that he has been invited to and there was no issue, he made sure he would take me. If I needed a reference, he helped but I don't think it was in his power or authority to keep me there. So I don't know. East Indians, particularly he, have all had disgusting horrible life. So one should appreciate their situation. He once told me that he had to stay away from home to get to school and had barely anything to eat and then added that his son doesn't know poverty means! That's my friend, The Mumbling Guy!

(Photo: Some facts about India. Don't get me wrong, I'm not being mean or anything. Just sharing some facts with any reader)

More Scavengers!

It's just a little over a month that I've been working in this little place but I've seen so many things that it worth writing know, not to forget that it was just mentioned that the company would merge with another one by early 2020. I have no intention to stay on this job for a long time but I need it until I find something better. One thing I realized in this few weeks that I've been with this company is the number of scavengers who live off this tiny entity!

As I mentioned in an earlier post it's a food company. Food is purchased and then distributed. A considerable amount of food is perished occasionally and that's when scavengers arrive! I have a few nice and at the same time surprising, at least to me, examples here:

1- There's this young asshole redneck who thinks he's such a hotshot! Making faces and giving orders to everyone around him! At the end of the shift his backpack gets full of all the expired food! I asked him once what he does with them. He said that he would give them to his roommates! I think he was telling the truth!

2- One day I found a warped food in a delivery truck door(!) and put it on the supervisor's desk. Later on I saw him eating it!

3- Once there was a big batch of returned food and they were all easy-to-eat food such as sandwiches or small salad. Everyone from the office to the delivery drives attacked the batch!. The food which could fill a big classroom, for example, was entirely gone by the end of the day!

4- Another day a similar batch arrived. This time the supervisor barely gave a chance to anyone else! He took 90% of the item! He loaded them to his truck at the end of the shift and gone!

The book that I have referred to

5- There's another strange guy who claims to be from one of the former USSR states. I don't exactly remember which one because it's one of the two which have quiet similar names! He is the biggest scavenger there is! He shows u in the morning with a cup of coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Then he changes to work cloths and grabs an expired(!) snack and have his breakfast! He takes a number of smoking breaks during the shift and at noon grabs another expired snack and that's his lunch! He claims that he's been waiting for his bundle(!) to leave Canada for good and go to UAE. He claims he would be working as a realtor and would never come back to Canada! He says that coming to Canada was his biggest mistake and he claims he has come from England after finishing a degree. I can see people going down but to the level that their breakfast is coffee and cigarette and they lunch is expired pack snacks! George Orwell one of the greatest writers of all time, in my opinion, once brought himself down to the lowest level of society and wrote Down and Out in Paris and London based on his experiences in the two main European city when worked as dishwasher and did similar jobs. This guy is in no way comparable to Orwell and the only thing has kept is his politeness, at times. One other thing that Orwell has mentioned in his book and I thought I should rephrase here is that he says that the cook and other restaurant staff such as waiters and waitresses, chefs, dishwasher and others, if any are given free food by the restaurant owner because if they were not, then they would steal twice as much! Same story here. The staff and delivery drivers are allowed certain amount of food because if they are told they can't take what they want, the same thing that Orwell has said in his book will happen! 

(Photo, top: Scavengers sharing food! To me when the assholes run to the food in the company, and there's one disgusting Filipino ugly short girl, they even look uglier than these birds!)