Giftedness

When I was growing up, my mother used to say I was as slow as molasses in January.  She would drop me off in the toy department while she shopped for groceries and I would organize the little toys.  (This was in the day when they’d have bins of little plastic figures loose and other children had dropped the wrong figures into the various bins.)  I have always had an eye for detail.

Last Monday, I was told that I’d have Tuesday and Wednesday off and then on Thursday morning my boss wanted to see me in her office.  I had two days to worry about the meeting before I went.  I knew what it was going to be about.  She had talked with me once before about my lack of speed.

Thursday morning first thing, I popped my head into her office, but she said she was busy and that we were expecting a bus tour in a little while.  She asked me to come up and see her after the tour group left.

I was working at the fudge counter, and when the tour group arrived, it seemed they all headed to my department.  I had ten or fifteen people around me asking for samples and someone wanted a box of four pieces of fudge, plus the free milk chocolate piece promised for four or more pieces.  I imagine some of the other samplers would have bought fudge too, except that tour buses typically only give them a few minutes to come in and shop before heading on to the next location.  In the end, I think only one or two of the tour members got to buy fudge from me.

As soon as the group left, I went up the stairs to my boss’s office.  She is a Christian woman, and fortunately, she’s the kind of boss who starts out with something positive to say.  She said she likes how friendly I am and that she hasn’t met a kinder person than me.  She said she’s aware that I get really tired by the end of the day, and she asked how I was feeling about my work.  I told her what happened earlier with the bus tour and said I knew if I had been faster, I could have made more sales, but try as I might, I don’t think I can go any faster.

She said she is aware that I’ve been stressed about trying to speed up and she hates to see me be uncomfortable about not being able to perform.  She asked me what I wanted to do.  I started crying and said that, in an ideal world, I’d like to be someone else; someone who could be faster for her.  As it is, I know I am not the right person for this job.  She put her hand over mine and told me that God has made me wonderful as I am, even if I’m not fast.  She said that she felt like crying just seeing my tears.  I told her I had been looking forward to working here all winter and she said she had been looking forward to having me.  She ended by saying that she would keep me on till the 24th, and in the meantime she’d call her contacts and see if anyone could use my help.

I was hopeful because Door County always has lots of Help Wanted signs out.  I was sure it would be easy to find another job.  On Saturday evening, I worked on my resume and sent an inquiry to an employer I found in the classifieds.  Sunday after church, Mark took me around to a couple shops that had advertised they were looking for help.  The owners of both shops told me that even though they are smaller than Seaquist Orchards, they also need speed because they are very busy.  Yes, a lot of businesses here need help, but they are all related to tourism and they all need someone who is fast.

My boss did give me a lead on a motel that is within walking distance of my house that is looking for help.  I got a call from the man she told me about this morning.  He’s going to meet with me tomorrow morning, but he said on the phone that business is slow at the moment and he may only have a couple days a week for me until July and August.

My friends at Wagon Trail Campground have been racking their brains trying to think of jobs I could do.  Mark thinks I should try to get more editing jobs.   I’m waiting for God to weigh in on what He’d like me to do.

One of my friends at work threw her arms around me this morning and told me I couldn’t leave.  I know I’m well liked here, but that isn’t the point.  The problem is that I am a detail-oriented person in a tourism frenzy.

I plan to do some more job hunting tomorrow and Wednesday.  I have those days off work again.  It would be lovely if I could find another job before this one runs out.  Prayers would be greatly appreciated.

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