Corporate Knights

After my father died - heart condition - I didn't take that much time off work. I was working casual hours in a retail job that a monkey could do, and not one of those smart monkeys who fly planes and stuff. Taking time off would mean not getting paid, and the idea of keeping myself busy in a difficult time had its appeal.

The hardest part was facing my manager. He had this frozen smile he wore in every situation, something he'd obviously learned in manager-school that over overrode everything resembling an emotion. Angry customer? Frozen smile. Late employee? Frozen smile. Grief? Frozen smile.

-Jody MacGregor