I'm not really sure why I'm writing this...maybe because it is just all bottled up and I need to get it out?  We'll see...

I have not been working for about a year and a half now. I'm ready to go back, part-time. But there is a problem. I worked for a place for 6 years, did everything they ever asked of me and then some. I was always on time and never complained. Well, it came under new ownership a few years after I had been there. The first year was great, the new owner seemed pretty cool and was always asking about my family and stuff like that. The GM at the time was always bringing my name up for those odds n end jobs of "who would be good at it, who can we trust?" The GM left to start a business venture of his own and that left my other boss, who had also become a friend of mine over the years. The owner started to show his true colors. Now, don't take offense to this, please...he is a foreigner and from a country where women should never be considered in a  postition of power...well, I was in charge of a few things and he started to really ride me at work and make me feel small and not good-enough. He seemed to constantly be eyeing me and complaining about me. It was so hard to go to work anymore...he made some "changes" and my responsibilities were taken away. It wasn't that I wasn't capable, obviously, he just had a man in mind to do the job, but he couldn't say that because that would be predjudice. I started getting suspended for a few days to a week at a time for silly things...playing music too loud (I was a bartender) having started a "swear jar"...etc. He made these suspensions an excuse to put a man in my position running the place...he also in directly started accusing me of money missing...I counted money every damn day for 2 hours a day and did deposits for him.  Why on earth would I attempt to steal from the hand that feeds me?? I was a single mom at the time and he knew that and told "others", my boss "friend" that he felt it was desperation theft and that I was too be watched.

He put cameras in all over the resturant...no big deal. But, he was able to watch us on his computer from home. I would get phone calls from him saying he hadn't seen me in a while (on his video) and what was I "up to?". He would put food up in the window and then CALL me in the bar (100ft away) and tell me it had been sitting in the window for 10 minutes! (ticket had only been in for 7...) So you see how this can push you to the edge?

My last day of work...I was counting money and he came upstairs and he accused me of cheating on my time card because i had forgot to punch in so I changed my time. He accused me of doing this All the time, he said. I was furious and I spouted off to him to take his job and shove it up his ass because I was sick and tired of him riding me all the time over stupid shit and that he should just fire me! As of this moment I am putting in my 2 weeks!

I stormed out of the office, money unfinished and went down to the bar and started setting up, bawling my eyes out because I just couldn't DO this anymore! My boss "friend" came down and begged me to stay, that they were having problems and he was at his wits ends. I told her she knows how he has been riding me and that she hasn't done ANYthing to stick up for me, just always agreeing with him (she didn't want to lose HER job, she IS a great asset to the company, the owner would be lost without her). So I said I would give it one last go.

Well that didn't last very long. That evening he yelled at me, in front of customers to go over to Ginza's and get that bottle of brandy we lent them. I told him as soon as I finished these t ickets (i was in the service bar) that I would run over there. He literally, in front of customers, lots of them regulars said "you do what i tell you to! you go now and when you are done you go home! I no want to see you here again!"

So I did as he wished and I didn't show up for work the next day...I was so angry and hurt and frustrated and disappointed! My boss "friend" called me I don't know HOW many times that next day, begging me to come back.

To make a long story short (TOO LATE!) She is now giving me a "bad" reference and I am worried that I won't get a job. I know I shouldn't even use them as a reference, but 6 years of doing SO much! I had an interview the other day and she is supposed to call me today to let me know either way. I WAS honest with her about the situation, so I'm hoping, really hoping, that when she calls the response won't surprise her...I just am at wits ends and i don't know what to do!

Thanks for listening. I needed to get this off my chest :)

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