My first and last AMC Picnic
I currently have two keyboards hooked up to AndrAIa for reasons that I would rather not go into. I press numlock/capslock/scrolllock one keyboard, they both light up. Neat little thing I discovered a few years ago when David was in fourth grade. Again, details I will not go into; it's looking like this will be a big post already. And I'm only still planning it out right now.
Opera has been slowing down BIGTIME lately. It's weird.
List of topics so I can remember what to write about:
- Julie got fired??
- Work Party: The Beginning
- People I hung out with early on
- NICK LIKES KELLI
- Survey
- Volleyball
- Olivia
- People I hung out with for the rest of the day/night
- KELLI THINKS NICK IS GROSS
- Eating contests
- Random yelling (screaming is a more appropriate term) at everyone by everyone
- Zois' arrival
- Volleyball: der Zweiter
- Zois' departure
- Shootin' the shit 'neath the pavilion
- Work Party: The End
I'm pretty sure I broke this up a bit too much, but we'll see.
It's all after behind the cut.
Julie got fired??
Facebook status: Julie is unemployed.
Tony: Holy shit you quit?! WHY?!
Julie: not that i quit....more of i couldn't control my mouth around the stupidity anymore...and john zois doesn't deal with that....good thign i had a job interview on wednesday huh?
Tony: John Zois don't deal with NOBODY'S SHIT. [To be said like a "gangsta"]
First, let me say that it is a truly sad day at the Forum when Julie gets fired. I am glad I left before that happened... That probably would have broken my spirit more than anything else. Who else is going to sing random show tunes throughout the day? Loud enough that the whole lobby can hear them. Who else was as freakishly energetic and friendly as her? Who else will motivate the crew? Happy workers are better workers. Zois doesn't seem to understand that. And now with Julie gone... Who will spread cheer among the melancholy masses?
Shortly after the picnic...
Facebook status: John G is hating AMC more and more each day.
Tony: Hey man, what's going on at the ol' theatre? I guess it must be really bad to have Julie _fired_, though...
John: it is,,, and it was a shocker too, they talk about motivaiton and hard work, its julie and now they got rid of her, she was the one that mad the worst nights always turn out okay and that new manager comes in an fires her!
Tony: Her singing always cheered me up, man. She was always so chipper and friendly!
lol, listen to me, talking like she's _dead_. But just the same... If you plan on staying, do make it work for you somehow. Try and find the things that make it worth _being there_. If Julie was one of those things... then I'm really sorry.. But don't worry, you'll figure something out!
John: she was, thurs nothing left at AMC for me, absolutely nothing, the friends i made there i will surely hangout with even if i dont work there, i'm jus waiting until i get my new job, and see how im gonna deal with amc, basically i thought to keep a few days open, like 2 or 3, but after all this recent changes that are insanely retarded, i realized that all this bullshit isnt worth free movies
It's beginning. Zois will get what he wants. There was no way he wouldn't. Either the crew accepts defeat and do things his way, or they quit so he can bring in a bunch of new kids and train them his way. College kids apparently aren't allowed to come back anymore. That was one of the things everyone loved about the Forum. If you weren't a total douche, you were always welcome back. Clear 'em out, slowly but surely...
I'm happy for Julie, though. I talked to her at work one day, about two weeks or so before I quit. She was not happy. It's about time she got out of there. Granted, quitting (even walking off) is in the end better than being fired. Always try to do things on your terms. But whatever, she's out of there. Good for her! I am glad.
Bah... firing Julie. The happiest worker there ever was. Until recently, that is. I'm sure she will be missed.
Thomas ("I'd stick it in her eye!"-Thomas) quit too. That won't have as much of an impact as Julie though.
Work Party: The Beginning
The picnic thing was held at Grant Park this year, on Hahn between 21 and Hall. I've heard of the park and I've seen it from Van Dyke, but I do not think I have ever been there before. It's a neat little park. Horseshoes set up in the back, tennis courts and basketball courts in the front. Two pavilions (one in back, one up front). Two (sand!) volleyball courts in back as well as a gigantic play structure for the kids. I believe there is another play structure in back as well. Crazy little place. Those sentences could have been structured better.
When I arrived (at least two hours late) there were quite a few people there. Brian Cherry, who got transfered to the Star Gratiot because instead of bringing concession numbers up (concessionists CANNOT make people buy stuff, Zois! You can't control that shit!) he was focusing on keeping his concessionists from leaving. He's gone now, though. Poor concessionists... They have Patrick now. I hear Dawn is a bitch too.
Laurie (the manager) and Cherry were the only managers there at the time. I hear Brian Crandall left just before I got there. Bill Myer showed up at one point. He, too, is a manager, but he got transferred out long ago. He's at the southfield now. Everyone was happy to see him. Who isn't? Cool guy, him.
Sam was grilling hot dogs, brats, and burgers. I had... a single burger all day. I was starving by the time I came home (but that was the first time I realized it).
There weren't too many people that I had actually gotten somewhat close to there when I arrived, so I kinda hopped from group to group 'til I ended up sitting with workCorey, Nick (not the one I asked for Olivia's number), Kirstie, Mike (who apparently knows the Lisa that homeJason met on the train to IIT), and workHeather. Heather likes to get... close to people. It bothers me when she does it. Kinda creepy. This is when I found out that Nick liked Kelli. (OH DRAMA) She asked him at work one day who he liked. "Well, her name ends in an 'i.'" I am almost ninety-nine percent sure that Kelli is the only person at the entire theatre whose name ends with an 'i.' That's a no-brainer. Problem is, he's 23. She's not yet 18. Now, I was talking to michJason about this and he believes that after 16, it's fairgame. I (and apparently everyone at the theatre/picnic) am pretty sure that before one turns 18, one's partner MUST be within five years of age or else it is still considered statutory rape. Anyway, the point is that she told him when her eighteenth birthday was and he had the biggest smile.
Apparently hurtful things were sad about him last Thursday night I think (at the employee showing, that makes sense). She wasn't talking to him, but... word gets around fast. The day I quit, I had Nicole come up to me and ask if I was quitting (I denied it, and everyone genuinely though I was going to stay for the rest of the summer). She got promoted to OC early in the summer and was transferred to the Star Great Lakes. Word got to the Great Lakes that I quit. Bill came up to me today at the picnic and asked me if what he heard was true. He's at the Southfield. How gossip travels like that boggles me.
Nick, Mike, Kirstie, and I decided to spend some time on the huge ass play structure. That slide is dangerous... It's one of those enclosed slides, but it has two sharp turns in it. I almost got turned around in there and somehow managed to skin part of my back...
After a while Peter shows up. I go sit by him in the pavilion and discuss things. Work things. What else is there to discuss? Olivia and a few of her work buddies arrive and she just kinda waves at me and sits down at another table.
There were these mock election surveys (similar to those ones in highschool) going around for things like "AMC Lifer," "Most likely to be GM," "Best OC," "FCL who knows their stuff," "Demon in Disguise," "Mr. & Mrs. AMC," "Best Couple." I grabbed one and filled it out with with joke stuff like Vinnie for "Hardest Worker" (he didn't show up for his Christmas n ight shift and left Melissa and I as the only ushers in B section. Every single show of the night sold out, so there was no way we could have received help from the side sections. He got fired that night. Merry Christmas.), and my "Favorite Managers" were, for the Guy both Brian Cherry and Rob Blowers (Rob got transferred almost two years ago, now) and for the Girl Sandy Asbridge (our old GM before Zois invaded). Dan R. made it on the "Best OC" list. He hasn't worked there in forever. I'm just a dick like that.
Ben Radell and his younger brother (the flyer said it was a family picnic; I had no clue he had a younger brother) arrive and, after eating, decides we need to get our volleyball on. Oh hells yes, I say. I haven't played volleyball since the last week or so of school. As I'm trying to drag Holly to the volleyball court Olivia looks and me and says
"Hey, sorry I didn't call you back... that was you, wasn't it?"
I called her on Monday around 2PM: "Hey Olivia, it's Tony. I was just wondering if you wanted to do something sometime this week. If you're interested just call me back at..."
Yeah, that was me... Are you still interested..?
"Yeah, but I'm really busy this week.. I have two jobs."
Oh, it's cool.
Yeah, you may say you're interested, but you sure did not sound interested. Whatever, I made the effort.
My hands aren't feeling to great from this typing, I think. Volleyball was made of fail and suck. Mom schooled us ALL.
After a few games of that everyone headed back to the pavilion, but I went over to the bench that Stephanie, Peter, Jeff, and Kelli were sitting at. They were watching the skilled volleyballers. Jeff, Peter, and I went back and forth making fun of Kelli quite a bit. It's... It's just way too easy! She sets herself up for it all the time. The best I have to say was when we were impersonating her. Usually she'll say something and one of us will pick it up and we'll all run with it.
"No, guys... Listen, lemme talk. no.. please.. guys.."
During one of those moments I just started repeating her. Peter picked up on it and joined in. I seriously do not think she pays attention to us when we interupt her (would you?), 'cause she just kept saying it over and over with us and when we finally stopped she fell right back into her story. Lulz were had. Somehow we got on th
So, of course, the topic gets on how Nick likes Kelli (OH THE DRAMA). I laugh along with everyone else and she stares me down asking how long I've known about it. o_o
Crazy.
After some more making fun of Kelli and Nick and some good ol' seat stealing (Kelli has a bony ass...) we all went to watch the eating contests. It was about this time that Melissa and workJason showed up. The contests were, in order: watermelon, pie, cookie dough. Work Andrew was so into his pumpkin pie that he looked like someone had shat on his face. The cookie dough one was disgusting. There was a brief little water bottle fight wherein I got drenched because I got a teensy amount of water on Melissa, Kelli, Ben, and Jason. Just a small amount, I swear!
Melissa left about an hour later, shortly after Kevin and Katy (spelling? new girlfriend? never worked with the chick, apparently she's in box) arrived. Got a hug from Melissa 'cause she's leaving the theatre too (college and all) and you just have no idea when you'll ever see these people again.
For the remainder of the night it was mostly Peter, Jason, Kelli, and me.
I'm getting tired and my hands are starting to hurt. This post is loooong. I know that if I go to sleep, however, I'll forget things that I specifically did not want to forget so that I could write about them. As it is I'm already omitting a lot of stuff just because I'm getting tired.
During the cookie dough eating contest Zois pulled up in a mini-cooper. This is going to sound really mean, but that is a very small car for a very big man. Not just big around, but big in stature too. He towers over you. He is intimidating. And that is a very small car.
I just totally ignored him. What can he do? Oh no, maybe I can't eat the hot dogs or hamburgers! I can still hang out, though. Public property, man. Besides, the picnic is to reward everyone for a year of hard work. I worked here during that year. I worked hard. It's for me too, man.
A second volleyball game was held. Mom schooled us all again. But at least got some volleys going this time around.
Zois left about half an hour to an hour after he got there. The volleyball courts are pretty well hidden in the back, but it's kinda hard to miss him, in his work uniform (does he sleep in that thing? I swear), leaving. He showed up to make an appearance (after trying to take away the picnic 'cause the crew "isn't working hard enough"? what a dick) and that was it. He has no friends there. Business business business. Or maybe it's because they're all college and highschool kids. Goddamn kids get off his lawn. I hear Sandy used to be fun at these things. I wouldn't know, though, as I've always missed each picnic for some reason or another.
After the volleyball, and after I drove Mom home so she could get her truck to help Sam bring everything back to the theatre, a bunch of us just kinda sat in the pavilion talking about nothing. Well, work mostly. About Julie. And making fun of Kelli. Again, what else is there to talk about? Kelli was kinda down at the end of the night for some reason. I have never seen her sad before. Ever. I didn't wanna pry too much, though, 'cause we're really not friends or anything. The most I've talked to her since she's been working at the theatre (a year now? a year and a half?) would be on Thursday and today at the picnic. Sad, I know. :neutral:
Work Party: The End
Sam finally decided to kick everyone out. It's public property Sam. No, go home. It's not yet ten! GO HOME.
She can be such a bitch sometimes...
I mentioned earlier to someone how Dan had a special place in my heart 'cause he was the one that trained me (actually, Rob (not Blowers) trained me, but Dan was the one I always strove to be. He was my idol, basically; totally killed me when he yelled at us that one night...). Dan heard it and kinda laughed, but... Thursday night he really didn't say anything to me really while I was there (for hours). He was upset that I left as I did. He said he would have my back if I were to go to him. There was nothing he could have done. But tonight. As everyone was leaving, he turned to me and said "Tony, you know you're always welcome. Just stop by anytime. It's been great working with you. I will miss you."
workJason invited me to the employee showing of Superbad, which I will be going to because a) it's free, b) there are NO midnights on Thursday (sorry everyone I told! I highly doubt any of you wanna get together on a Friday and see it in a sold out theatre though... assuming we can even get tickets.. just kindly forget I was planning anything... sorry) and c) I have one more chance to see everyone again.
In the end, I was slightly depressed. The day was great. I had so much fun. I got to hang out with a ton of my friends for the entire day. A ton of my friends that I will most likely never see again. It's sad. I met all these cool people that I took for granted over the past three years and now they're going to be gone. That's seriously the only thing I miss about the place. Zois can take his new policies and choke on 'em, he can't take away the bonds people have made and will continue to make. He can try. He will try. Just get rid of all the old or influential people and no one will know what it was like before he arrived, but kids have this tendency to form friendship anywhere. That's the reason most of them are there... A good majority of the kids there come from wealthy families. They don't need to work. They're there to have fun and meet people. I originally started working so I could buy my own computer. I stayed because I enjoyed it there. These people were my family. It's kinda sad... The Forum was something I could always count on. If I needed a (possibly second) job every summer between years at college, I would have it. No questions asked. Not so anymore.. Jessi is gonna be pissed when that e-mail about no more returning college kids goes out later today...
I'm so glad Zois gave in and let them have the picnic... He was going to cancel it, but Sam and I guess a few of the other activities team members fought him on it. He canceled the lock-in and the family showing of some movie... but you can't cancel the picnic! God, it's all these kids have right now. Hopefully it helps them stick it out just a bit longer... They really needed it. Moral is low. It has never been below ridiculously high.
The Forum died about a month ago in my mind.
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Good night sweet prince. 1999-2007 |
Who reads this drivel anyway?
homeJason says I need to be awake today for awesome fun times with him and Alyssa. I'll wing it.
tl;dr AMC DRAMA + FUN TIMES @ PICNIC + RANTING = NOT LULZ SO NOT LULZ
I should add a new category: Novels.