So if dealing with a roommate who doesn't understand the concept of a one-night stand isn't enough drama, there's the case of the clueless boss.
Her name is Blu and according to my friend Hadassah, she is the black sheep of the Lightyear family. The Lightyear family has had a long tradition of being one of the wealthiest families back home in Tucson with coffee and business real estate enterprises. Their oldest daughter Blu, who used to be a Wicca-practicing, lesbian, left Tucson 10 years ago to Milwaukee, her family's original home. Since then, she's stopped practicing magic and lesbianism and married a advertising web developer guy named Reese, with whom she has two kids.
Back in Tucson, Blu used to work at Buffalo Exchange, a retail clothing store that bought new, gently used, and vintage clothing from people and resold it in their store. She had always loved the concept of the store and knew it would be a big hit in a college city like Milwaukee. So, with her friend Flower, Blu decided to open up a used clothing/consignment store. Originally, she decided to go to a bank and take out a small business loan. But then, her grandfather, the patriarch of the elusive Lightyear family caught wind of her business plan and decided to help out as a silent partner.
He helped out so much, in fact, that his "voice" became louder and the store project became a personal project, one that the whole family could get involved. Blu's concept of a funky, one-of-a-kind retail store became lost and the whole project became commercial, with Susan, Blu's interior decorator sister, spending close to $19,000 in lighting alone. Yeah. $19,000.
Blu took a giant step back and watched her dream store become into something else. Something, she just could not be a part of. I asked Blu why she stayed so quiet and didn't go to her grandfather to tell him he was taking over more than a silent partner should. That's when she revealed to me and Gwen that her Grandfather was broke. He had filed for personal and business bankruptcy and only had about $20,000 left to his name. The Lightyear dynasty was slowly coming to an end. The reason Blu's grandfather had taken so much interest in the store was because he had decided he didn't want to end his life with a series of failures. All the businesses he had created his whole life were now gone and if he could end with one last hurrah, maybe he wouldn't be such a failure after all.
So, Gwen and I decided to encourage Blu to take a stand against her grandfather. We told her, that if the store didn't have a spirit, there would be no way it would flourish. It's my personal belief, that in order for a small business to be successful, you have to believe whole heartedly in what you're selling. All your time and energy is crucial in the first few months, because if a business doesn't have heart or passion, then it's just a building full of stuff, that will go nowhere.
Now, Gwen and I regret our decision.
After having a series of conversations with her grandfather, Blu has fully stepped back into the store project and has seem to forgotten about me and Gwen. On several occassions, she has left my name out when talking to Gwen about setting up a work schedule, while standing in front of me. She's even went out and hired a new employee, because she looked "so artsy and cool." I was told, that since the store is just starting out, it would only have five employees, but now, with this sixth member, I hope it doesn't mean cut hours. The biggest blow came, when she questioned me about my fashion choice selections, as if reading GQ was so passe and How to Make Clothes Out of Hemp 101 was in. She even talked to Gwen about relocating her in three months to open up a new store in Madison, Wisconsin or even Atlanta, Georgia which has stressed Gwen out even more, because she feels as if Blu is trying to phase her out of the store as a manager of the store. Considering the fact that we both moved across the country, leaving behind everyone and everything we know, it's a little scary.
The way Blu acts and says things, is very mind boggling. Hadassah says, her brain isn't all there since the drug usage she did in her teens affected the way she thinks today. She assured me, the fact that the grandfather took over, was a sign that everyone in the Lightyear family knew she couldn't pull off running a successful business. That's why they sent me and Gwen. She assured me, Gwen and I needn't worry and that we would still have jobs. But if that's true, why do I still have this uneasy feeling in my stomach? I already dealt with one employer who filed for bankruptcy, and we all know how that turned out. I'm just wondering if this is my sign to leave or my chance to show my courage?
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