Diary of a Broke-ass Chapter 2 Part 2

Where we left off last I was working in the vacuum sale industry, and there was an issue with paychecks.

And the story continues:

Chapter 2 part 2

This is when I started to get suspicious. The wholesale of these hybrid machines (vacuums)are only $650. And we were selling so many of them. So you could imagine how much money was being made. They hired new people. Trained them. And by the time they were ready to go out and sell we didn't have enough machines for everyone to go on demos with. This didn't add up. We were still selling 3-5 machines a day; between all crews. They sold anywhere from $1,200 to $3,000 a pop. Sales averaged out to around $2,000 each. So let say the average after machine cost ended up being $1,500. Anything more then $2,000 and the sales person gets 20%. The Van Manager gets %20. And the knocker gets $100. So taking out employees pay, the owner was making on average $600 per machine sold. On average the owner made $1,800 to $3,000 a day. And this was after machines were replaced. But for some reason we had fewer and fewer machines. Even with the daily and monthly expenses the owner should have more then enough money. Daily expenses were round $100. And the total cost of running the office for a month was $1000. So after all expenses the owner should have a take home of 50-85k a month! That is rock star type money. There should not be any problems at all. The new sales people dropping off like flies. They would work everyday, but never get to go on

any demos. Therefore not making any money. Would you stay at a job where you didn't make any money? Some of the new people had connections that I thought were convenient. Like one lady's husband, was the manager for a car repair place. And we just happened to need repairs. Do I smell a discount?

Everyone started showing up later and later. We were all suppose to be at the office at 9:00 am. I would be there. And just sit outside the office wondering where everyone was. People would trickle in. And everyone would wait for the boss. We will call him Dan. Some days we sat around until after one in the after noon. Slowly it turned into Dan not coming in at all. The Van Manager, Chip, said he was sick. And for the first couple of days I thought he meant the flu. Which was going around. Dan's wife who was the receptionist stopped coming in as well. And that is when things started to click. Something was definitely going on here.

After the knocker gets everyone into houses, there is nothing to do. I usually called my husband or family to chat. And sometimes Chip would gossip about what was going on. He wouldn't come right out and tell me everything. But hint about the goings on. He said that Dan was not sick- sick. It was not the flu. So, one time I steered the conversation to tell a story of a friend of mine that use to have a crack addiction; just too see what he would say. At this point I was pretty sure the rock star cash flow had taken Dan as a victim.

Just to let you all know, I hate drugs. I mean, coke, crack, meth... the over use of strong prescription pills. You know. Things you get addicted to. And I mean really addicted. They type of addicted that you would sell you dear old grandma's house right out from underneath her, just to get your fix. I can't stand any of those types of drugs. I think they are made of pure evil. And strip people of their moral, ethical, human values and even souls.

This conversation got Chip on defense. Bingo! I think I hit the nail on the head. He said that he use to have a problem with crack. And never let it ruin his life or anyone else's. He got help when things got out of control. And never relapsed. But the way he was telling me his story, felt like he was defending someone. I knew right then that Dan was smoking crack. And everything made sense. Everyone was leaving to go on this road trip to Elko, NV. They were helping one of the other sales people, Jack, start his business. The only people that stayed behind were Jane, Pip (one of the other sales people) and Dan.

We sill made sales. The only people actually working were Jane, Pip and me. The last of the new hires was showing up every day for his paycheck. And everyday Dan would not show up to give it to him. The last time I saw the new hire, James, he had 5 big bicker dudes with him. It was like a scene out of a movie. They went up to Jane asking were Dan was. Nobody knew where he was! They told her to tell Dan that they were coming for him. Things were getting crazy.

Up until this point I had no problems getting my check. But was scared that this was going to happen to me as well. The very next Friday, Dan was leaving to work for Jack in Elko, and take Pip with him too. When I met up with him to get my check he was sketchy. And said he couldn't afford to pay electricity at the office and the trip to Elko, if he payed my whole check. Great, perfect. He gave me a check for only $200. And left.

At this point Jane and I had 4 machines left to sell. In Elko they were selling machines like hotcakes. I thought everything would be fine. Jane and I sold the machines and deposited the money into Dan's account. And it seemed like the money just disappeared from that point. Things were looking really bad. Jane was late on rent. And things were very tight for my husband and I as well. The word from the road was that Everyone was selling. But for some reason there was still no money to pay us. And the check that I had received bounced. Only crazy desperate people would stick

in there, when it looks like your boss is taking you for a ride. And I guess Jane and I were. The economy was not just tanked in Redding, ca. It was broken all together. Getting another job would take too long and I would lose my home and car by that time. So I stuck with it. The last machine we sold of Dan's we got a check for. Jane had the customers put it in her name. We were going to get paid no matter what. Jane cashed it and gave us both what we were owed, and deposited the rest into Dan's account.

We both knew that Dan was on drugs. And every penny that we made was gone the very next day. It wasn't only crack. But gambling and drinking too. Being in Elko these things were all to available. Dan was out of his mind. In Elko he was no longer working for his own company, but Jack's. Checks from customers were forged into larger amounts and made into Dan's name. Checks were also forged from Jack's company account into Dan's name. A couple of sales backed out, and their money already spent before the 3 day return period. And Dan was behind it all. Before anyone could react to what was happening Dan had taken off from Elko, NV and was back in Redding. Immediately going after Jane for the money from our latest sale. Jane told him that she paid us and put the rest in his account. Things exploded. Dan threatened to report that Jane was embezzling money from his company and was committing check fraud. She called the police right away and made a report. We were done. Working for Dan was not working out at all.

To be continued... Chapter 2 part 3 coming soon.