Equal Opportunity Employment

Ok...so I'm all for equal opportunities and everything but WHY do the people who don't need to be in service positions always the ones who get hired. Case in point: I went downstairs to the cafeteria to get some lunch and the cook can't half understand English, let alone speak it. Seriously, what sense does THAT make. Here I am having to shout and point so he gets what I want him to do. I clearly said "12 wings please" and he looked at me as if I'd ask him to get naked and lay down on the grill. I again said "12 wings please" and this time added a *point* to the wings. He then picked up a plate and put 6 wings on it and proceeded to hand it to me. I said "12 wings please" and he gave me that blank look again. I then held up 1 finger on one hand and two on the other and he smiled and said 'oh' and took three of the wings off my plate. The people behind me are cracking up and my apparent irritation and I can't help but to laugh too. I then count on my fingers 1,2,3,4,5...and so on and he FINALLY gets that I want 12 wings...not 6...not 3...but 12. Can we say DAMN enroll in ESL classes please? Sheesh.

I can remember a time when I went into The Home Depot looking for faux wood blinds can someone tell me why the two people they had working in that department were physically challenged? One was a midget and the other one was in a wheelchair. I just threw up my hands because I knew this was one I couldn't figure out. Being that I worked in this very department in high school and knew the demands of this position (climbing ladders to retrieve blinds; using the blind cutting machine [which is more than 5 feet from the ground might I add]; lifting 30-50 lbs; etc) I just had to stand by and see exactly how these two handled those demands. As you may have guessed...they didn't. Every time they needed a blind cut they would call someone from paint or flooring to do it and every time someone needed something that they couldn't reach (pretty much every time) they called someone from paint or flooring...I know those lil men were like 'shit, please stop paging us.' I mean could they not have been greeters or receipt checkers? Or even cashiers...why would you make customers wait 10 minutes longer than they have to if you can eliminate the problem. I guess it's a matter of 'well if we don't give them this job and say it's b/c of their height or physical handicap we'll be sued'....but shouldn't people be able to tell their own limitations? I know good and damn well I don't need to apply to be a fork lift driver b/c.......*ding ding ding* I can't drive a fork lift!!!! I know I don't need to apply to a job that requires me to be fluent in Spanish b/c *ding ding ding* I'm not fluent in Spanish. It's not rocket science people. Goodness.

I don't know about any of you but I, for one, am tired of having to dumb myself down to communicate with people and having to inconvenience myself so that Home Depot wont be sued. People need to stop taking advantage of that 'law' and wake up to smell the roses. I'm good with numbers, therefore I'm an accountant. My husband has a wonderful grasp on the English language, therefore he analyzes contracts (well he used to anyway). My friend Chelseia has a great speaking voice and is excellent in communication, therefore she majored in communications (or something like that). You get my drift? Be who you are...good grief.