Working Stiff - Countdown to Retirement

I hope I at least get an interview. Bit of a morale booster.

My helper of three years quit Monday. What a relief. Today, they sent an applicant for a full time job off to get his drug test. I may have a first full time helper in a long time, real soon. He appears to be very knowledgeable, and he's in his thirties, a good combination.

My New Year's Eve was interesting. The police called the boss and told her that some residents were screaming and banging, and by the time they arrived, their apt was empty of people and the door unsecured. Unsecured was an understatement. It had been broken open. Whereas, most persons breaking open our doors concentrate on the latch side, this time, the door center became the target. The jam, hinge side as well as latch side, was shattered. Fortunately, the casing remained intact. I was able to nail it back in place. This pushed the jamb parts together enough that a few well placed metal strips screwed on secured it all for the time being. As I worked, a car drew near and stopped in the darkness. After a minute of apparently viewing my actions, it sped off. I was relieved no confrontation took place.

It's always something, isn't it? No peace for you.

Um, Wow, edgar.

I made it up until midnight and I thought that was exciting.

I had a glass of wine before the excitement began. Then went home and watched The Green Mile.

Went to a different apartment the other day, to repair a closet shelf. Had to report to the boss, the occupant broke or damaged every door in there, except the patio door. This guy and the one that busted his front door open were given eviction notices. Not just for the doors, but a career of objectionable actions. The boss is the nicest person you ever met, until somebody damages the property. Last week, she gave an eviction notice to a girl who had a stuffed chair on the patio, after the girl failed to remove it, despite a month-full of requests and demands. She moved the furniture overnight, and the notice was rescinded.

The owners have decided to sell the apartments. We figure it should take several months, perhaps more, to make a sale and finalize it. We are being offered a bonus of $4,000 to stay on through the event. Hopefully, it will take all the way up until my retirement date.

Are they selling the whole complex or is it going condo? When did you say you can retire?

Hope things work out for you edgar.

Ten months after my bday in September. They are going to sell, because the owners don't get along well enough to remain partners.

Bear with me here, Edgar.

I have been in the retail business for 30 years. And I have an MBA degree.

I am a fervent believer in the concept of "institutional memory." From the mom-and -pop store down on the corner to General Motors, remembering what worked and what didn't work is crucial.
Too often, new managers come in and change things without realizing that their bold ideas had been tried before and failed.

If you are so inclined, I would suggest that you let it be known that you know every nook and cranny of this complex. You know what pipe to bang on, or which switch to flip, late on a Saturday night. Institutional memory.


(Oh, yeah. Thanks for your posts on the other thread that I am following. The one Squinney started)

The owners like me and the rest of the staff. More than once they have called me the best maintenance man in the business (nevermind the real truth). They have said they will highly recommend keeping us on.

Speculation is, a huge concern will not take on a small complex, for reasons related to insurance and profitability. We are a hundred and thirty six units. They figure on a smaller investor. Such companies rarely have their own people. If they go with the same management company, we would be kept on for sure, and possibly even with a company change. Then again, sometimes an entire staff gets the boot on a moment's notice. It's essentially a crap shoot.

If a new owner gives me a shot, I will be in like Flint. I have the qualities that make for a great maintenance man. It's not in being the smartest, the fastest, the best ass-kisser, whatever. It's the dependability. I show up every working day and get real productivity. I haven't been off sick in two or three years, and that for no more than a day. The residents are well satisfied and so is management.

It's the pits that this business has cropped up so close to retirement. For my part, been there, done that.

I worked for our provincial utility company here in B.C. since 1974. Then, in 2003, the company and government stepped in and privatized (it was public) 1/3 of the company.

Well, when I retired in 2006, my pension plan and benefits were moved over to the new company. I think all will be working out okay, but it created a lot of anxiety and stress.

So, my sympathies. I will be thinking of you.

Thanks, reyn. I should be okay, but I fear having to dip into my 401k fund prematurely, if I have to leave too early.

I'm not familar with "401k funds". I suspect it's an American thing? Are they like RRSPs?

401k - You put a portion of your pay in an account; the boss puts in a percentage to match. Soon you become rich.

Ah, okay, this sounds maybe like a group RRSP then. My company had this just about a year before I retired. Didn't see any point in throwing in any money into that at that point.

I wish I had had that program all my working life.

Well, I was fortunate to have a private pension plan with the company since when I started. Then, as well, we have our Canada Pension Plan which also kicks in at 65.