Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Babysitting

We are assigned games through an assigning website.  It's a convenient way to get your schedule, unlike the old days when we were handed out slips of paper with our games and then we had to go through and check our schedules to see if we could work, turning back games we couldn't and trying to pick up games we could.

The way it goes now is that, before the season, we can log onto the site and go through the entire season blocking out days, or parts of days, when we are unavailable.  The assigner then knows immediately who is available for games and who not to assign.

We get an e-mail notification when we are assigned new games.  We get onto the site, accept the games, and note when, where and what time the game will take place.  In short, I know about two-weeks in advance where I will be working every day of the week.

As a white hat (crew chief), I send an e-mail to my crew reminding them of the game, what the weather report is, whether we will be wearing shorts or pants, short sleeves or long sleeves, and about what time I will be at the game site.

Yesterday one of my crew did not show up for a game, so we worked it with three.  He just didn't show up.  There was no e-mail stating a problem.  There was no phone call or text.  Just not there.

After the game, I talked with my boss and told him of the no-show.

This morning we all received a message laying the blame for the no-shows on the white hat.  "Make sure you call your crew -- e-mails and texts are not working."

Um . . . IT'S NOT MY FAULT.  The guy KNEW he was working that day (he accepted the assignment).  I sent him an e-mail.  If he can't keep track of his own life, why is it MY PROBLEM to keep him straight?  (Know that Friday nights are different, because we often have to make travel arrangements to show up together, whereas weekday games we are all coming separately and often from our day jobs).

So . . . I called the guy today (because he's on my crew tomorrow) and said, "This is your friendly reminder from your babysitter about the game tomorrow . . ." in a not-really-friendly tone.

He said, "I didn't forget on purpose . . . "

I wanted to say, "Really?  What does forgetting on purpose look like?"

Instead I simply said, "Be there at 4."

I have a feeling he will be early.

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