I love my job; a dilemma

"Heather" the note read "Planters Nuts are Better." 

I'd dug a note out of the snack machine, and I had to laugh as I read the note.  I love my customers, they are incredibly direct.  They'll tell me "This tastes like crap" or ask me to carry more of whatever they like.  They also request new things, on occasion, which I encourage. 

After all I always spy on the brown baggers, seeing what they've packed in their lunch.  Can I duplicate it?   I enjoy the challenges, too.  Most of the time. 

Today we got up very early, went to the warehouse.  We got canned soda today, and some snack items.  We went to work and were in the process of stocking with the big boss arrived. 

Here's the hierarchy: us, supervisor (yesterday), senior supervisor.  He's the one who showed up.  We'll call him Jack. 

Jack was delighted to find us stocking full vending machines.  He was very happy the bottled vendor was fully stocked with bottled water and soda.  He did have a question for me, though:

"How are you getting the merchandise?"  He was truly baffled.  I explained, warehouse, paratransit.  He was horrified.  "Ron is working you to death!"  I objected. 

See, this is one thing men don't understand, especially, God love 'em, Texas men:  I like manual labor.  I like picking up heavy things and putting them on a cart.  I like putting it in the vehicle.  I like taking it out of the vehicle and putting it on the curb, then getting the cart.  I like putting it on that cart and taking it to go stock. 

I told him "If I have a problem Ron will be the first to know.  I don't have a problem doing this.  I am healthy and strong." 

Everyone acts like Ron's some sadist.  No, he's not.  It kills him to watch me do this.  But we're both happy we are independent free agents. 

See, we used to buy soda from the other vendor, but when he declared his vendetta (we passed on a complaint from management, asking him to clean his area; when he didn't we passed it up to the our mutual supervisor), he "cut us off" from buying soda.  That's great.  Instead of having to buy $400 of soda all at once and carry the inventory, we can spend $20-40 at a time, as needed, and put it directly into the machine (after chilling it, of course).  He used it like a club to hit us, but he did a big favor cutting us loose. 

Suddenly we had a lot more inventory flexibility.  We run a Just in Time inventory, which means we buy things only as needed.  We keep no inventory; it's all stocked.  It works great.  In this economy a small business like ours needs all the help it can get! 

Anyway, turns out the boss wanted to push us to buy soda from the guy again.  We said we weren't interested - we didn't bear the guy any ill will (and we don't), we had a better business model.  He was kind of taken aback and went on about Ron "working me to death" again.  I didn't roll my eyes, but almost. 

He went on, mentioning more than once "The other guy might need a favor".  Ah, the crux. 

"You need to forgive him" we already did. 

"He MIGHT forgive you if you apologize".  "For what?" we said.  He got it and dropped that point, realizing it was completely illogical to make us apologize for passing on a complaint. 

It reminded me of times in the past when I was bullied and assaulted; then forced to "apologize" for defending myself.  The bully was rewarded, and I was punished.  That kind of injustice can be triggering.    I had that a lot in the past. 

He went back to saying we should basically indebt ourselves to the other guy, and mentioned again how "he might need a favor, or you".  Since we are independent it's pretty clear he's saying he wants us to do the guy a "favor". 

Since he just lost a big vending area, I have a bad feeling he intends to ask us to "let" the guy set up shop on our territory.   In which case, both Ron and I are inclined to say NO. 

We can't afford to give up the money; and the other guy (before the vendetta) kept bragging about how he owns his own home, and his wife got a big inheritance.  "We don't need to work."  They won't be out in the street if we say no. 

I am also reminded of how he laughed at me and said "never" when I asked if we could have a "corner" of his area back when we were losing ours.  He was awful about it. 

That said: I am a Christian.  I have to take it to Jesus and see what He wants me to do.  I don't want to shame or dishonor him; or cheat us of a blessing we might get if we were "generous". 

Faith can be a burden sometimes.