The Victors

Wish I had a funny, self-deprecating story to share.

In the real world, however, I just lost an employee who’d been here for 37 years. She was terminated on the spot when HR found out she’d described something as “n______ - rigged.”

58 year old woman with a HS education who’s never left Henry County, OH. I’m not sure she’s ever traveled outside of Ohio in her life. Has an older husband with a heart condition who retired early and farms on the side. She’s leveraged to the hilt to buy land and farm equipment to subsidize his hobby. The true “farm knowers” that work here tell me that she owns a lot of shitty farm ground and used equipment. They have one son who works here, too, after he graduated from the local vocational school with an HVAC certification but couldn’t hang with a local company that she felt was taking advantage of him.

They both worked 2nd shift and she would bring his lunch over to him when he clocked out for his break.

There’s no excusing the language, but it’s a phrase I heard a lot growing up in Northern Michigan. As far as I know, she wasn’t directing it at anyone, just describing a haphazard repair to some of our equipment in terminology that she’s probably heard all her life and never thought twice about.

Worked here 37 years, 7 days a week and 13 hours a day if we’d let her, used to work the weekend before and after her vacation (which we had to make her take). She’d go out in a dress (they’re some sort of Mennonite offshoot) and pick rocks out of her farm fields before work.

I am legitimately worried about her mental health. Having someone to talk to (me) outside of her immediate family was something she looked forward to. I would purposely work late a couple of times a week just to be around and listen to her. She actually cried when I accepted another job a couple of years ago and almost left.

Of course, I can’t really reach out to her now. I have an AA employee, and don’t want to leave any sort of impression that I think she got screwed or that kind of language isn’t a fireable offense. I’ve been the victim of racist language before, and fully understand how hurtful it can be.

Just a sad situation all the way around.