Sunday, February 8, 2009

Some Passings

I don't like change. I like things to stay the same. Unfortunately, that isn't what life is all about. Life changes. That is the definition of life. Don't give the idea of change to Obama. He didn't define change. Things just change all the time. When I drive to Columbia, I go on the old road. That's what my father used to call it. The old road is the road that is not the interstate. I don't like interstates, because all the cars pass me on the highway, because my car won't go as fast as the rest. So, I go on the old road. After all, it is a slower pace. And, you get to see things. Things that change. Like the new house going up. Or the new cow in the pasture. Or the pond that is drying up. It is all about change. So, in the spirit of change, I wanted to tell you about a few passings. First, my friends leaving Macy's and those getting laid off. It is the nature of our economy or the lack thereof. Companies are getting rid of good workers and replacing them with some who can barely spell, much less work well. I am not going to get into a debate about who you think is best, but the customers will suffer. I went to a going away party in Columbia yesterday for some friends who are leaving Macy's. It was a time for laughs and tears. I am sorry that they are leaving, but they will find out soon enough what it is like to live without that stress. Macy's is a very stressful place. It wasn't like that when it was Rich's. Rich's was a family. Macy's is not. But, that was change. Sometimes, change is not good. Macy's will learn soon enough that laying off good workers will cause their business to suffer. When I asked to come back to Macy's, after leaving in 2007, I was told that I would not be hired back, because my credit performance was not good. I was expected to open charge accounts, and I didn't open enough. Never mind that I sold over a million dollars worth of stuff. It didn't matter. So, I moved on. And, their business suffered. As a part of change, they are doing away with gift wrapping services. It was all about customer service. Now, I guess customers will do like I have been doing for years--wrap their gifts in newspaper. Do that until newspapers stop printing. Some have already. Change. Today, I learned that a woman I worked with at Belk for a lot of years died on Friday. Her name was Louise Ritchie. She worked in the office and basically ran the store. Everyone came to her for advice. She was the bookkeeper. In some ways, she was harsh. But, if you were a friend, she was your best friend. Her husband was the warehouse manager, when I worked at the Belk warehouse in 1973. He was retired military. In understanding their personalities, things went well for all. He passed away several years ago, and now she is gone. I went to his funeral, and very few Belk people were there. I wish I could go to her funeral this afternoon, but it won't be possible. Maybe, I would see some old friends there. People that I need to see. But, I can't. If I had a decent car, I would go. But, it is on shaky ground. So, this story today is about passings. Passings are all about change. I don't like change.

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