I was having one of those down-in-a-funk-and-can't-get-out days when something had already kicked me down and I just felt like everything was just keeping me down.
Someone stole my body spray and a couple other items that I had placed in the girls shower room for all to use. A former member and friend of mine had given them to me when she moved out of Cheonan and I absolutely loved the body spray as did my members and so I put it in the girls shower room for us all to enjoy.
This was what had kicked me into a funk, the break in trust from one of our members.
"Don't put anything for others to use if you don't want to lose", some say but this is Korea and this is my club. I'd like to think that my members are the exception to any ill thoughts and are awesome... because they are so very awesome!!! In two years of running Hulk's, we have only once had a theft problem and even in that situation I felt it was somewhat excusable because it involved a few dollars and a young handicap boy from "difficult" parents. I've had members donate us things that run out, like shampoo and tissue, and bonus things to share with the rest of the members, like a box of oranges and sweet potatoes.
Members partake, members donate and members stay late...it's what Hulk's has evolved into, a place of "familyship" that's built on trust and flat out silliness. Well, today members hate.... and by hate I mean members were mad at what had happened. When word spread that my beloved body spray had been stolen, members were quick to scan the room and wonder who took it. I use that body spray every work day after my shower because perfume is too strong and this body spray was a subtle mist of sweetness that seemed more appropriate for me to sport during work.
I put a note up in both the locker room and in the girls shower room, reminding the girls that the items on the shelf are for everyone's use and are not to be taken home. I think mentioned that someone stole some things and I'd like them to return it.
I take attendance everyday and yesterday was no different. I could go down the list and approach each of the girls who attended but have chosen not to. I have my suspicions and they're right on par with the suspicions of numerous other members too. Ironically enough, those most of us suspect made a big scene when they first joined last week about having to leave their stuff in the back room. They argued that someone might steal something from their bag. I reassured them that are members have always been super cool and very respectable but that perhaps they shouldn't bring such valuables to the club if they were so worried. Snickers ended up giving them a free locker rental and I think that was just to basically shut them up. I wasn't impressed so I told them the free rental was just for a month. "Other members actually pay to rent a locker and those who get one free are long time members so please be respectful of that." Perhaps their first day "stink" was just a coincidence, I both hope so and hope not because if it's not them than this means it is one of our long term members.
I'm hoping the letter will let whomever needs to know that I know they stole my stuff but I doubt if they will return it. Members tried to cheer me up by telling me to go around smelling every girl. "Perhaps they are wearing the body spray now", they said. I'm contemplating following through with another letter and not because it has sentimental value to me but because of the principle -- trust was broken in a place that runs on trust. I can't tell you how many times trust has been tried, tested and proven true here and to have one new member come and break it, well, it's having a rippling effect on others here and I want to put a stop to it. I want members to feel trusted, safe and comfortable here and I want to feel this way too.
So ya, it may have been just a few items but it was the talk of the club and it was the principle that kicked me down, the break in trust. I really felt disappointed and let down. In a sense I felt perhaps I had let myself down, believing that such trust we have here could seriously continue for as long as it has. Was I so naive to believe this and that it could have continued?! I don't think so. Regardless, it was the kick that pushed me down today and then many other random and petty things got piled on top of it. It seemed like one thing after another but I know it wasn't, I was just sporting a bad attitude and I knew I needed am attitude adjustment. But you know when you're just in a funk and you can't seem to shake it, well that was me today.
I then had to wire exactly $1,077, the sum of both the water and electricity bill for the club, so that felt like just a great additional kick to my already down-in-the-dump day. KGere then showed up right in the heat of it all and stood there starring at everyone, including me, so that surely didn't help. I was having a hell of a day so I found myself becoming more and more over-the-top sarcastic. "Did you come here with Mama Kim", I asked him, of course not because they're divorced and his confused response only reiterated what I already knew. "Too bad", I added, "that would have just made today absolutely perfect!"
No comments:
Post a Comment