Years ago when I managed a Radio Shack in Chesterfield County, Virginia, all the hours or toil and trouble never seemed to make a dent in my paycheck. Just tonight, while looking at some owner reviews on NewEgg.com, did I realize that my path was chose by a higher power.
The reviewer (owner of the product) was saying how the speaker wire to the new alternative speaker next to his bed might just be a little short. Then he said those wonderful words, "....that's why God created Radio Shack." Now I KNOW he was speaking about me and the twelve hours or more I put in each day I managed that little hole at the end of the shopping center
I do mispeak myself. The Army and Navy store next to me was the last store on the strip. The anchor was the A&P around the corner on the hypotenuse side of the L. If you were bleeding to death and still had the wherewithall to scream, not one housewife entering or exiting A&P could ever hear ..... I didn't bleed to death.
Because sales were so slow and customers were so few, I kept busy cleaning and moving merchandise around. I also kept my eyes on the plate glass window for a quick glimpse of the types of customers wending their way past my window into the A&N next door. There were many of God's lovely creatures passing by; but nary a one had a question about speakers, or portable am/fm weather radios, or even male and female connectors ( a subject I became fascinated with during that period of time).
Other managers knew full-well that this was a store which should have been closed years ago. On a monthly basis, I would receive the award for fewest sales in thirty days. The award was a large size bowling ball without the holes drilled. I suppose that the regional manager wanted to see a manager loading up and getting the arm ready to throw underhanded without the use of the holes for stability and directionality. I guess he was just saving his hide.
I often prayed to God to make those finger holes appear. It was also my fervent wish to Him to send in a young thing needful of instruction in male and female jacks......or something like that. There was a bet around with the other store managers that I could walk around naked in the store through the day, finish the paperwork, close up (get dressed first) and no one would be the wiser. HE would know.
HE used to send me all the refuse looking for the parts of some project in Radio and Electronics which appeared two months ago on some page near the back. I would dutifully go with them (males of course) to the parts wall and fling open the magic doors of profit. Each bag contained over 60% mark up. It was said that one could float the store if there were enough of the little bags sold. The area manager would always inspect the parts wall first. it was a good policy to keep all the hangers filled with happy little bags of resistors, capacitors, and assorted hogwash needed to build that new version of the phono preamp you always wanted.
So, it was tonight as I was ruminating about God creating Radio Shacks that I came upon a salient thought regarding God. He must be very fallible. And we must be very much like him. If he knows all, why in H did he not put this store where it would make the most profit for a poor lonely manager? Why does God have us swimming against the current at all times?
Irritation. HE wants us irritated so that we may come to understand his noble purpose. After all, planting Radio Shacks is something like creating bedbugs; you don't always see them, but there they are. HE can make a mistake That's great news. That should make you all sleep soundly this evening; even though after I take my back pill I will still be up ruminating about some other damned thing. I wish he would create something to stop THAT.
'nuff said......Nighty night...