White Lightning and Grand Theft

Crack wasn’t the only drug being abused at my site...

When the parking lot emptied, I noticed the ground would be scattered with a collection of 6-8 bone-dry pints of vodka. When I first saw the bottles, I didn't think much of them. We had a liquor store within sight, and I assumed that we were on the path of an alcoholic making their daily pilgrimage. I didn't realize the journey was originating and ending at my site.

What added to the mystery of the bottles was the realization that the parking lot was cleaned weekly as part of regular building maintenance. We are not talking evening cocktails here. This was hard-core alcoholism.

Back to the vault ...

HR accessed her “vault” and told me of least 2 people that were alcoholic's, or rather suspected alcoholics. I brought my sups together to discuss the situation. No one claimed to have seen anyone drinking, but they had the same suspect in mind that HR identified.

White Lightning...

Let’s call her "Thirsty". Thirsty was a very petite, well dressed, woman who was in her late 50’s to early 60’s. She was 5’5”, and seemed very grandmother like. Grandmother or not, “Thirsty” had a problem with the “white lighting”. My sups claimed to have smelled alcohol on her, so I felt that with their first hand knowledge, I could address the situation and try to head off an issue at the pass.

We brought "Thirsty" in, discussed the facts, and asked if she had ever been drinking on the job, or before work. She denied it but sincerely thanked us for our concern. The meeting didn't go anywhere, but it did provide us a forum to outline the consequences he we ever confirmed she was drinking, or intoxicated while on the job.

Thirsty goes down...

Within two weeks, the client notified us that this agent had deliberately encouraged the customer to lie while confirming a sale. Needless to say, she was gone, and the sea of bottles left with her.


Band of brothers...

To give you some more inside drama on "Thirsty", her son had grown up with one of my other reps and his brother. Apparently when Brother 1, and brother 2 were young, their mother was a crack-head and “Thirsty” adopted them into her family since they were friends with her son. She gave them shelter, food, and protection when things were to tough to go home...

Brother # 1 was working at my site, and HR knew" knew both #1 & #2. As I mentioned, HR was “connected”. Late one night, brother #2 called HR, and said he was intoxicated and couldn't drive home. HR went and picked him up, and on the way to his house, brother # 2 admitted that he had burglarized "Thirty’s" house. HR was shocked. She was aware of the break in because it devastated "Thirsty" and she openly talked about it at work.

Now here was HR alone with brother # 2 as he confessed his crimes, through alcohol induced tears... HR drops him off, and then notified the police the next day...

Will the drama ever end?