Wall Street, the allure
Wall Street has a certain “comment dire,” allure, if you will. If you’ve ever been there you would agree. It’s the tall buildings, the intricate architectures of its mere existence, and the side streets of cobblestone, the famous landmarks, the small shops and what’s left of some Brownstone homes. Then, there’s the spirit of people walking with purpose and confidence that states dollar signs everywhere. The eagerness and hunger of success is in everyone’s eyes. The people and their clothing symbolize competition riddled with anxiety. At this site, there are also some street vendors trying to sell their menial items to these “wall streetwalkers.” The tourists are so obvious in their disguise; they don’t see the evil that lies within. There is one man suited up, standing in front of the building next to the Trump building shouting as he preaches words from the bible in a way that details the evil that surrounds the neighborhood. He combines the politics and the bible all in the same breath. People fill up the cement stairs on the this building, as they are sitting, tourists’ using it as a rest stop and looking around. In front of the Stock Exchange building stand several security details that surround two sides of the building but only one main entrance and it is highly secured. The entire building has a mid-level metal fancy fence that surrounds the building so no one can get close to it. All the doors on the outside of the building have two/three security guards securing the entrances and directing people to the one main entrance. It seems almost impossible to get in but I never tried. Since 911, as I understand some of the main streets that surround the Trump Building and the NY Stock Exchange Building are both blocked off and vehicles that go through there will have to go through a thorough search with dogs and everything.
The Job Offer
Everything sounded as good as it seemed, truly the excitement nearly fell off my face from how happy I was. It was an offer I could not pass up. At the time, employment seemed scarce and a clean honest living couldn’t possibly hurt anyone. I mean, why not. Raising a family with no income is extremely hard to do. My friend had mentioned a job offer at an office in the Trump Building. The Trump Building, “Wall Street” and the lack of supervision this job involved was definitely exciting for me. The job involved an Office Manager position for a financial firm to basically organize the working functions of the office. I was to aid in keeping the senior partner organized and on track with all her daily appointments. I was to keep her calendar busy and make it seem like she was working all the time. I was to expect a lump sum of cash per week, no weekends and 40% of commission a month of profits earned.
The Situation Analysis
The first week, the office had empty walls, there was a mess everywhere, and there was a clear indication that the office was operating by the “seat of their pants.” This gave the office a very cold environment, no credibility and gave me the impression that it was a start-up. Despite all the red flags, I ignored them because I got a job and the pay was like a “flashing green light: I was in need. The office was small in size and there were three computer stations, three office phones and one wide two-drawer filing cabinet.
The first week I was getting acclimated and things were okay, a little disturbing because my boss did seem distracted and preoccupied with her personal nonsense. The workweek began and there was an influx of inbound sales calls, which in turn allowed me to pitch sales. There were only three of us in the office, the senior partner who did mock underwriting, a sales person and myself the office manager. By payday on Friday, I was voluntarily promoted into sales because I did such a great job on the sales pitch. I felt extremely uncomfortable because I was not asked to do the sales position, the boss just simply told me. My boss, as I was beginning to learn is the type of person to create quick easy scenarios where you could not approach her with something instantaneously as it happened, because she would leave or become too busy. My pay was then reduced to $250 per week as cash advance from drawer because at the end of the month, I was to earn a total of $4000 in compensation, which would equal to $5000 total.
Damage Control
I was furious but I took a breather and continued to work the rest of the day. I went home and calmly planned an outline of how I would address this matter. I waited until Saturday morning and called my boss; I told her that we needed to discuss her decision and my position with the company. She replied by saying that Sunday would be a better day, I agreed and the conversation was over. I then proceeded to send her an email, explaining the uncharacteristic professionalism by her actions. Based on the conversation we had during the hiring process, which was a binding verbal agreement since the conversation happened in the state of New York not in New Jersey. She then agreed to pay me for the full week as an Office Manager and then proceeded to tell me that I could stay if I did sales. I agreed because I wanted to give it a chance. This was the worst idea, yet, I should have taken my pay and left for good. But nope, I did just the opposite I stayed.
Suckered Endurance
The next 2.5 months were extremely unsecure, unbalanced, uncertain and filled with horse manure disguised as a neurotic, self-centered, insecure, bi-polar and crooked person. She claimed to have graduated from Penn State University, however proof ceases to exist. She was a licensed nurse who lost her license due to writing illegal prescriptions. She said she was drug-free but instead her instability would say otherwise. Her demeanor and character were of a person with a dual personality and an expert manipulator that would clearly lie to get her way, and then play the victim. I never made the $4000 in the first month; I stayed because I was to get it together with the second month. In total, Mrs. Cash from Wall Street owes me $6800, but my peace of mind is absolutely more valuable than any price tag.
My Exit Strategy
Eventually, I tired of her shenanigans easily and could not even be in the same room with her. My last days resulted in me getting sick one morning and not showing up to work for two days. By Wednesday morning, I had already decided that I was not going to return to the job.
The deceit that I faced does not deserve an image of a beautiful branded heel by Christian Louboutin. However, it serves as a motif to symbolize how something so beautiful and elegant can possibly cause turmoil. No physical pain of course, just the painful idea that there are such people in the world that you must steer clear of. This is one of my many painful situations in the workforce and found myself blindsided by such actions. Unfortunately, I did not report her to the NYC Department of Labor because she had more trouble to deal with then I could cause her and for me, most of the times as difficult as it maybe, turning the cheek and becoming invisible in someone’s life is the best revenge anyone could ever claim.
Originally, the evil lies from the person within, however, this place reeks of evil. It only matters how you perceive, even in all its glory and grand splendor, evil lies within Wall Street.
C.L. Buhrks 