Usually don't post this but.....

[ACUDANUT]

Just my 2 cents. If you don't have another, better job lined up, then don't bite the hand that feeds you.  We all have to take the bad with the good.

[Tilar]

Just my 2 cents. If you don't have another, better job lined up, then don't bite the hand that feeds you.  We all have to take the bad with the good.

He already has...

Took another job at another shop. Hopefully, it will be for the best. I sure am getting tired of moving round. Would like to stay at one place for 15 years. Moving a tool box SUCKS!

[Cooter]

Update: Well, Yesterday was 'D-day'. Turning in the notice. I get there round 7:30AM. We roll in, boss shows up in usual manner, we begin work at 8:00AM.

I walk over to the front building and I begin by telling the Female half of the owners[Brenda] that I have some bad news. She immediately replies: "Your leaving right?"
'Yes, I'm afraid I am Brenda. I'm so sorry, but I tried for over almost 3 years to make it work. You know I did." She begins to cry. In 25 Years, this is only the second time I've felt like sh*t for leaving a place of employment. I apologized about 5 times over the course of the day to her. Afterall, she was the "good" half of the bosses.

So, This was around 9:30AM. In about 10 min, the azzwipe comes over and begins to tell me to stop working on a vehicle she put me on as I'm working out my two weeks. I stop. No problem. Then, nothing from him. I figure I'll just move to something else. I begin to get in a car to pull it in the shop in my bay and he pulls a HUGE camper/motorhome thingy in my bay, Takes the keys out of it, pulls another vehicle in behind that. I cannot get to my bay to work.

Finally, after kinda 'helping' the other tech there in HIS bay for most of the morning, I see he's moving the 'Bus' out of my way. I get the next car, bring it in, set the lift, and I find out my lift doesn't work. [He disabled it]........

I notice the shop radio is off. I go over to turn it on, and IT too is disabled. The other guy there says he 'Did something to it so nobody can listen to anything'.....
It's about this time that the azz wipe begins to talk REALLY loud to Brenda about how I did him so wrong, built three cars from the ground up on HIS DIME (Which this didn't seem to be a problem when I made it one of the conditions of my employment after he worried the hell outta me for over two weeks at car shows, and on the phone, pleading with me to come to work for him??)

So, that didn't get the rise out of me he wanted, so he begins to try and say that I built all three cars (It was only two and they were my own junk), using HIS parts/etc. Hmmmmm, a Small Block Chevy, Dirt track, roundy round wannabe and I used all HIS parts on my Mopars???

That didn't get the desired effect either he wanted. It was about this time that azz wipe decided he'd begin to tell the Customers how I 'Stole' from him......


THAT got the desired result he was looking for. I begin by countering with the truth. This was evidently more than he could understand. So I began to try and explain a little better. I replied that all the mis-truths he tells about me is nowhere near as bad as the truth about him. A drunken, Alcoholic, broken, little man with no self-esteem, who has to constantly be complaining/b*tching about something, or someone. One who's life sucks so bad, I firmly believe it causes him physical pain to be happy and content. If he couldn't handle the stress of owning his own business, then get out. Afterall, There is a reason my name isn't on a building. I know full and well what it takes to deal with the public and I can do it far better than he. So, after that, I felt it was useless to even try to work out my notice and Brenda wrote up a nice letter of recommendation for me that stated I DID try and give/work my notice.

I go in to my new job this morning. Looking forward to it as anything HAS to be better than where I was.
WOOOSAAAA!

[Ghoste]

Best to you at the new place Cooter.

[Bob T]

Nice one. No point laying a hand on him, just tell him how it is and walk out with your head high
Trying to work the notice period would be pointless.

Good luck with the new job.

[charge69]

You handled it right, Cooter and, obviously, someone there did not want you to go. I really hope a new and better job awaits you and some of the daily stress you have to put up with is relieved or eliminated with this new chapter in your life! This Boss Man seems to create way more than his share of stress for you about inane daily duties and projects and that is a no-win situation for the employee (you) every time.

We all go thru so much more than anyone really knows, even our spouses, and trying to cope with it all can get to us eventually. Changing jobs is always a stressful time in our lives and I hope it goes as smooth as it can get for you.

Carl

[70moparman]

Bosses like your last one loose a lot of good body men/ mechanics because they cant run a business for shit, or cant keep thier mouth shut and let ego get in the way of common sense.  Let him fix his own shit, then he can deal with himself for a change...

[JB400]

Way to go on dealing with the old boss   Let him say what he wants to say.  If it sounds out of nature to those that know you, they'll correct him or ask you for the truth.  Hope you get to enjoy the new job

[Cooter]

Thanks Fellas. Work yesterday was 'Different' to say the least. I found myself still in that 'Oh crap, better be running round like a chicken with it's head cut off' mentality, but I guess it will take some time to relax and get back in the groove. All things positive.

[firefighter3931]

Hey Cooter, best of luck with the new job. I'm sure with your talent and work ethic you will prosper in the new workplace and be much happier. 

You took the high road and showed a lot of class despite the knucklehead ex-boss trying to bait you into a confrontation. Some people just don't get it ; when they have a reliable employee and take them for granted.    What can you expect from a wannabe dirt tracker small block chevy moron ! 

You sir have my respect for the way you handled the exit strategy....well done ! 



Ron

[Cooter]

Thanks Ron. Means a lot coming from you. Wish I coulda hollered at ya again at Carlisle this year. Funny thing is, today, I was talking with the Tranny Rebuilder guy at the shop. VERY cool guy. just moved here in March. Talked a little bout me rebuilding old skool Mopar trannies. Dude talked with me and even gave me a few pointers on some cool mods I hadn't heard of for the 904/727 thing. Also some for the 'Brand X' ones as well.

Learning ALOT from this guy on auto and Manual trannies. I can tear a T-5 down soup to nuts, as well as an a833, but when it comes to the little Toyota trans in my truck, I needed some advice. He said they are 'gravy'..SWEET!

He also runs a Mopar Street car himself. While it isn't a RR or Charger, he said it was a Mopar none the less. It's a 1987 Diplomat, with a 408 Stroker. Sounds kinda tasty.

[bull]

You should start your own business.

[firefighter3931]

Hey Cooter, things are looking up allready. 

It's allways nice to meet good people who are willing to teach. Not surprised....he's a Mopar Guy 

I'm gonna try hard to make Carlisle next year....just couldn't get the time off and was scheduled to work last w/e and nobody wanted to trade vacation time.   

Keep a positive attitude and things will work out....good things happen to good people 



Ron

[Cooter]

You should start your own business.

Been there, tried that, failed miserably, got the T-shirt, wore it out, and now I polish cars with it....NO way. Never again. Tired of chasing broke people looking for cheap labor.

Funny how when they pay for the parts, they seem to have no problem buying the cheapest, turd parts out there with a 'Warranty'. Then, when they fail 3 days later, they want the labor to install them covered as well. Nope, the public has completely ruined my vision of making a living from myself.

Already out $10K [3 guys] on a repro exhaust manifold "Business venture' that failed because even though the original sells for upwards of $3K, ours didn't at $1K...And got a bunch of complaints at that.

[ws23rt]

I am glad to hear you had the right time and opportunity to express your exit reasons to your old boss.
I worked for a jackass years ago (for 7 years).  Still feel like something is left undone. I want to speak to my old boss like you were able to.
That you were able to makes the break from him more complete.
The up side is those types are dying off and the ones that had to put up with it use it as an example of how not to behave.
It is very clear to me from reading this that you would never treat those that work for you like that. And if you did have employes they would work for you not because of you.

[Steve P.]

I'm glad things are looking up for you Cooter. I have been down the same road a few times. The last time was working for a friend who haunted me to come work for him. I am great with customers and a pretty fair wrench, so that part was gravy. But he was going through a divorce and I somehow became his lashing bitch. He never drank at work and he was alllllways there, but his attitude went out with his cheating wife. After about a year of that I couldn't handle it anymore and while he was chewing my ass, I was going next door to rent a truck to take by boxes home...   

We are friends again now, but I am here to tell you, I feel for ya dealing with that shit for 3 years...

At another shop I dealt with a bad drunk owner. He use to beat the crap out of his wife, (Worked in the office), at least once a week. She was very nice and none of us could understand why she put up with his ass.. He put her head through the office wall once because she didn't answer the phone fast enough.... I had a chat with a cop buddy that worked the area and he ran his record. I then told his wife in private that she could easily own the shop and put his ass in prison. His record showed he was on probation for pounding the shit out of 3 guys in a bar.. He put 2 of them in the hospital. Spent a week in jail and was already on probation for something else!! Myself and the other wrench there told her we would certainly stand up for her in court... One Sat. morning I was sick as a dog and called in.. He said he had too much work to get out without me and he would make up my day off.. As I pulled a fuel tank I ran for the mens room to barf.. I tossed my cookies for a good ten or fifteen minutes. I could hear him bitching in the office.. His wife said I was sick and I heard him crack her one.. That was it... I left and that was that. I started my own shop and took many of his customers and when I asked a few how they found me I was told JIM'S WIFE sent them to me.....

What comes around- goes around....

Good luck at the new place..   

[flyinlow]

I hope I could handle a situation like that as well as you did.  Good luck with the fresh start Cooter   .

Craig