We lost our manager today

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.10.10
Current Song - Follow You, Follow Me (Genesis)

Mary is no longer at the Shell station.

It was a decision made by upper management. She has been grieving from losses of her son and sister in the past year. Certainly a rough year for anyone who has had similar feelings. It affected her focus a bit too much, and the plug was pulled.

Mary was a popular manager with the morning customers. She kept them coming back each morning, and that's where most of the revenue comes in. It will be extremely hard for them to realize that she's not there anymore. I can't imagine how customers felt after seeing a new manager in 25 years at Route 30.

I know how it feels to lose a real good manager all of a sudden. I was witness to Janyce's departure from BP over two years ago. That place has yet to recover. However, Janyce was up to par when it came to running the place while her husband was on his deathbed. Mary wasn't. I can understand that: no mother has to bury his son (ask my grandma about it). I feel that management letting her go was probably the best thing for her, as it takes a heavy burden off her. My best wishes to her as she moves on to a new chapter in her life.

Sheila, the manager at the Clinton Shell, will be taking over. She's been around the block here before and at the other S/RF stations. She's big on cleaning, which hasn't been our strong point as of late. It's already been a difficult winter for me, having to deal with all of this snow. I had a real bad New Year's Eve, and didn't get out until late. When it isn't as busy, I've found some time to get things done and get out at a decent time. I can only guess there'll be added chores.

Here's hoping the transition is a lot smoother than the one I experienced at BP.