The Big Red Machine loses a good “Deputy”…

What I guess is breaking news is now reality and it just sunk in. The machine has lost another good one in one of our most trusted and likable deputies in Phillip East. Words can’t describe the shock when I heard that he was transferring to a different store because I had gotten so used to him being there on a frequent basis. I remember on my first day at the Machine, I had no idea where to go or what to do at the moment because I was new and I still had no clue as to what I would do. So, one of the operators call Phillip over to our clerical area and he directs me and I remember clearly asking him if it was always this busy on a Saturday and he said on weekends it always this way. He seemed to have a really cool and laid back tone when he said it and I felt relieved that he wasn’t some arrogant jerk that was just out for himself. Right away he put me with the right people to work with and I was happy that he was one of the first people there to greet me. Ever since then, he has been the level headed person among our deputies and he handles himself seriously but at the same time he knows how to get along with most people. He gets to know people and he gives himself just enough space so that people know that he has to do his job in a timely manner. I can honestly say him transferring is sort of the end of an era because the Machine had been riding high for a while but I’m guessing his decision to leave might have been because he felt the place was just crumbling at the seams. Who knows, maybe somebody didn’t care for the guy at our store but it’s amazing that the only deputies at our store still left from when I started are Jenny and Anele. I told Phillip when he told me one on one that he was leaving that he will be missed and I would still visit him at the Cupertino store because you never forget people like that. I am still grateful for him because he was the one that took over for the Grocery section in our store and he came up to me personally and offered me a position over in that area and right away I thought it would be better for my well being and my sanity(which of course it has been!) It was something new and it gave me an opportunity to do what I wanted to do: Work with people in one specific area instead of having to worry if they were going to stay consistent across the board. Once I got put there, I knew I had made the right choice and I told Phillip that this was sort of a peaceful setting and now I’m thinking this could be my last hurrah at the Big Red Machine. Let’s just say, I want to go out with a bang and his departure makes me think more about finding another job but for now I think I’ll settle for this till after Christmas… There is still one more mission left to accomplish.