Up in smoke...

So here is the deal...when you work you for four hours or more you get one paid 15 minute break.  If you work 7 hours you get a half an hour 'meal' break.  That's seems pretty straight forward and simple, right?

But what if you smoke?  If you smoke not only do you get your paid 15 minute break but you can also go outside for a cigarette (or two) during your shift.

To be fair most of the time they will only go outside for a cigarette if it is really, really slow so I have never really minded this until the other night when I was working as a cashier.  Here's what happened...when I first got into work I talked to the manager and he told me there was a mistake on the schedule and that there were two cashiers scheduled until midnight.  It was me and one other kid, Luke.  The manager told me that since I was the 'extra' cashier I could stay until 10:00.  So I said sure, no problem and was pretty happy to get out of there before midnight.  Luke and I both started at 7:00.  Around 8:00 Carrie and Luke were talking and they asked me if  I wanted to stay until midnight and Luke would leave at 10:00.  I told him it didn't really matter to me either way (especially since I had originally planned on being there until midnight anyway) and Luke sort of hinted that he had plans and he wanted to leave early.  I was a little disappointed that I was stuck there until midnight. but I did need the hours and figured it wasn't that big of a deal.  So Luke came in at 7:00 p.m and was leaving at 10:00.  That's just three hours.  At around 9:00 or 9:30 he went outside for a cigarette break.  Which I normally would not have minded at all except that meant I was the only register open.  It was a pretty warm summer night and during the summer it seems that people tend to put off their grocery shopping until later at night.  So it got really busy and I'm there all by myself while Luke gets to chill outside having a cigarette.  I'm not saying that Luke's isn't entitled to a break while he's working but it shouldn't be while it's busy and I think if you only work for three hours you should be able to suck it up without a break.  I work 5 or six hour shifts without getting a break pretty often.  So I was thinking you have less then an hour left of work--you couldn't make it? 

So that got me to thinking that the whole thing really isn't fair--certain people get to duck outside in addition to the break they already get while the rest of us are stuck inside, you know, actually working.  So (and I know I am not the first person to say this) it seems like I am basically being punished for not smoking? 

Political Science

No one likes us,
I don't know why.
We may not be perfect
But heaven knows we try.
And all around,
even our old friends put us down.
Let's drop the big one,
See what happens.

We give them money,
but are they are grateful?
No! They're spiteful and they're hateful.
They don't respect us,
so let's surprise 'em.
We'll drop the big one,
And pulverize 'em.

Asia's crowded,
Europe's too old.
Africa is far too hot,
And Canada's too cold.
South America stole our name.
Let's drop the big one,
They'll be no one left to blame us.

We'll save Australia,
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroos.
We'll build an all-American amusement park there,
They got surfin', too.

Boom goes London,
Boom Paree' (Paris).
More room for you,
More room for me.
And every city the whole world 'round,
Will just be another American town.
Oh, how peaceful it will be,
We'll set everybody free.
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe,
There'll be Italian shoes for me.

They all hate us anyhow,
So let's drop the big one now.

Let's drop the big one now.

Lyrics and music by: Randy Newman