Then tonight things came to a head. He got very manipulative. He has taken on more than he can chew with multiple jobs. He knew months ago from the time he hired me that I can't work weekends. But he has gotten himself into a bind this weekend. These are the text that transpired tonight:
He immediately called me on the phone and was VERY defensive. He kept bringing in some personal things a which point I told him that he could speak to me as a friend or as an employer but not both and that I would not mix the two. Long story short I told him that in order to salvage a 10-year friendship I think it would be best if we ended our employee/employer relationship to which he replied that basically both were finished. I will add that I have been a standup employee and he has gotten a lot of low cost labor from me on a very flexible schedule. I feel proud of my performance. On a friend level it hurts my feelings that he would act this way towards me. He did see me lose my temper once (only in front of himself) and he used that to say that he "lost so much respect for me" and in so many words said that he couldn't be my friend anymore. This really hurt me. To completely dismiss 10 years of friendship due to a single 2 minute time I lost my temper (over the phone on a Walmart employee that was taking advantage of my wife at their garage after they messed up our brakes and told her she had to leave...I never cursed or anything like that by the way) it really saddens me. I don't have a lot of friends because our mission life just doesn't give us much time for deep relationships.(written at 7:34 pm, 3 1/2 hours after I had gotten off work for the day) Boss: I could use help for *business name* setup tomorrow. A company has rented *business name* for all next week but just sent a specific set up for Monday morning at 8. Not real difficult but we have 100 people in there tonight. Needs some cleaning and set up. Bill (not his actual name, but he is the new guy that was hired when my boss told me he needed me to step aside for someone longterm) is on schedule at his other jobs. I am in a tight spot.
Me: Really sorry, bud, but I have to help my dad early in the morning put a water pump in his car and then I have a carpentry job after that already lined up.
Boss: Ok, what about Sunday afternoon?
Me: I might have time then but it will depend on how far I get with my work tomorrow. Sorry I can't commit to it.
Boss: That's fine just know if you can help when I'm in a tight spot that's who's gonna be working most for me.
Me: This sounds a little manipulative, Chuck (not his real name)."
I'm pretty hurt by all this. I seriously think he may be having some sort of break due to stress from taking on too much the last couple year and something else that is personal for him so I will not share here. Also, because it has happened twice in the last few years I HATE knowing that false things are being said about me and my character. I work hard and I am a man of my word. I can't stand something being said otherwise and I know that that is going on.
Please pray for me. Pray for me, a sinner.
