Late, But Not Forgotten

[akujunkan]

I've been threatening this for awhile, but metal_dog5 poked me a few days ago to remind me how slow I've been on coming through. Also, it occurs to me that this will be easier to digest in day-by-day fragments, instead of a single post that will rival my fic in length. And so, without further ado:

GOLDEN WEEK MADNESS: The Prologue.

Day T -1 (04/28/04): I'm sick as a fucking dog. Hacking, coughing, high fever, sweat pouring off me in buckets. My supervisor asks if I want to go home. Duh. My contract states that I can take up to three days of paid sick leave at a time without requiring a doctor's notice. I pull out my contract and show this to her.

We go to the vice principal. He tells me that I will need to take vacation days to go home. I say that I do not want to take vacation leave, I am not required to do so by my countract, and that I want to take sick leave. He denies that there is such a thing.

I point it out to him on the contract.

He says, okay, take sick leave, but you'll need a doctor's note (which costs US $20-$25) in order to use it. And ohthatsright, it's unpaid leave, so today's pay will come out of your salary.

I eversopatiently point out where d) all of the above, is contradicted by the terms of my contract.

He tells me that he can't read English. I point out where d) all of the above, is contradicted by the terms of my contract, which has been officially translated into Japanese by my contracting organisation.

He tells me he doesn't have time to read through it all. My supervisor is not being particularly helpful during this exercise. She means well, but she's flustered and has a homeroom to take care of.

The VP tells me to take vacation leave.

I tell him that I won't, and that I'll be sitting at my desk for the next five hours until it's time to go home, sharing my shiny happy germs with the other 70-odd staff members. I'm definitely not being gypped into taking more vacation leave when I'm not on vacation, especially when I'm given sick leave but am not being allowed to use it. And honestly? I'll heal sooner if I sit the hours out at work then spend one hour walking through the rain to the hospital, three waiting in the waiting room before being seen by a doctor, a hour walking through the rain back home, where I will wait before spending another hour walking through the rain back to the hospital once more to pick up my medication (after a wait of who knows how long there), before once again walking through the rain back home. And then paying US $20-$25 and taking the money out of my salary for this opportunity to 'get better.' Yeah, waiting it out at work infecting the rest of you is really more restful for me, kthnxbai!

So I sit out the day at my desk, because I didn't have any classes to begin with, hacking and coughing with my nose pouring snot down my face and being generally very obviously sick.

With ten minutes to go before I'm supposed to leave, my VP eversokindly tells me I can leave 'early,' like he's doing me a big fucking favor. You could practically see his asshole clenching as he spoke the words.

This is what happens when you're of Chaotic Good alignment working for a man who is 200% Lawful Good. There are rules and he is going to stick to them, god dammit! Except where they concern the taking of sick leave, of course.

So I went home and began preparing to travel to Singapore on the morrow.

Calls went through to Holly & Co., who were coming in on a different flight than I was. It was decided that I would wait the four hours between their flight and mine in the airport in Singapore, so we could travel to the hotel together. There was some question as to how we would meet up with each other in an airport none of us is familiar with, without the benefit of keitai. Holly & Co. resolve not to leave the airport until I'm with them (remember this, as it becomes important later on).

This discussion is cut abruptly short when, due to the vaguaries of military vs. standard time, it is discovered that tickets to Narita airport have been purchased in such a fashion that the arrival in Tokyo is approximately fifteen minutes before the flight to Singapore is scheduled to leave.

Mass panic ensues.

Then it is discovered that due to the vagauries of travel vouchers, the arrival in Tokyo has actually been scheduled for approximately fifteen minutes before flight check-in begins. All is right and well with the world.

It is about 11:30, I'm sick as a dog, and it's time to start packing. w00t!



That will be all.

Comments

[metal-dog5.livejournal.com]

He tells me that he can't read English. I point out where d) all of the above, is contradicted by the terms of my contract, which has been officially translated into Japanese by my contracting organisation.

I'm surprised he didn't say he couldn't read japanese.


I tell him that I won't, and that I'll be sitting at my desk for the next five hours until it's time to go home, sharing my shiny happy germs with the other 70-odd staff members. [SNIP]
With ten minutes to go before I'm supposed to leave, my VP eversokindly tells me I can leave 'early,' like he's doing me a big fucking favor. You could practically see his asshole clenching as he spoke the words.


Pleasepleaseplease tell me your VP spent all of Golden Week hacking up a lung.