Fired Because I Walk Too Slow

Pat had responded to an ad online about environmental work. She loved volunteering in community events and was heavily involved with various Non-profit organizations. She was currently President of a Non-profit and worked on many campaigns for state and public officials. Therefore she was very familiar with the position of a canvasser. So she immediately set up an interview. They were so impressed with her skills and background, that she was hired on the spot.

Pat returned to work that next day excited and eager to start her new job. The first day is what they call the day of observance. She was not the only new hire that day so she would not be training alone. First she and the other new hire were given an overview of the company and their job description. Afterwards they had to rehearse the script that they would have to pitch to people as they canvassed various neighborhoods. They didn’t quite have the script memorized but they had familiarized themselves with it.

Once that was complete they met up with all the other employees and then were assigned to their areas. Pat was assigned to an area that was predominantly white in another city. She was at first a little uncomfortable because she was the only black female and had been paired up with a white male who was well over 6feet tall. But she really wanted to work so she just rolled with the punches.

The group Pat was with consisted of 5-people1 white male, 1 black male, and two white females and Pat. Pat was being trained by John who was also one of the organizations directors. As the group reached their destination they were a little about the weather as it looked like a storm was lurking. So they designated a checkpoint to meet back at if the weather got bad and the driver would be there to pick them up. So everyone went off on there separate ways to canvass the neighborhood.

As John and Pat began to walk together Pat noticed that she was often left lagging behind. Pat is 4feet 11.5 inches tall and her strides are way shorter than John’s who’s over 6feet tall. She could sense that he was becoming annoyed but she was walking as fast as she could.

So eventually he has asked her if she would wait at the beginning of the driveways of each home as he walked up to the door. Pat was supposed to be shadowing John to observe what he was doing and learning from him so basically she was unable to do that because he felt she was holding him up. The trainee was slowing down the trainer, isn’t that why training is incorporated so that the trainee can eventually work at the same capacity as the trainer? Well after about 20 minutes of leaving her at driveway entrances they came upon a street that was a dead end.

He told Pat that he felt that she needed to rehearse the script alone. So he found her a spot under a tree and wanted her to sit upon a rock for 2 hours studying the script. He said that he was going on to finish his work and that in about 2 hours he would come back for her. Pat was in shock! It was about 90 degrees, she was miles away from home, she had no phone, no food, no water, and she was basically stranded. After about 30 minutes or so it began to get really gloomy and sounds of thunder was rumbling so she headed to the checkpoint which was about s half a mile from where she was.

When she got there no one had showed up. It was now pouring down rain and she waited, and waited. Finally another one of the group members arrived and she waited for about a half-hour and then left to go back to the area she was working, someone had previously invited her into their home, which was against the rules. So after waiting for well over an hour the rain and wind started to subside and Pat had to use the bathroom.

There was not a single public place in site where she could use the bathroom and she knew that it was against the rules to enter anyone’s home but she really had to use the bathroom. She knew people would give her a hard time because she had no proof that she was working for an environment organization; she had no uniform, or any other representation, and she was a little black girl in a white neighborhood. She began to ask people if she could use their bathroom and she was given excuses such as, it’s out of order, and we don’t allow strangers in our home.

Pat had no way of contacting John or the driver to help her find a bathroom so she began to walk searching for a bathroom. She remembered that they stopped at a police station so she figured she’d find her way back there. After walking for almost two hours she finally found a pharmacy. She was now dehydrated, wet from head to toe, tired, soar from all the rigorous walking, and crying because she was hurt, and lost. The manager of the store was very pleasant to her he allowed her to use the bathroom to clean herself up and to use the phone to let her group know that she was lost.

When Pat finally spoke with John she explained to him the events that led up to her ending up at the pharmacy and asked if someone could come and get her. John wanted her to walk back to where she was and finish working and she refused. That was just cruel and she had already suffered enough. So he told her that she would have to stay there until everyone else was done working and that wouldn’t be for another two hours. Pat had no choice and had to stand outside of the pharmacy for two hours. At the same time it began to rain like a monsoon. Pat humbly waited until the group came and picked her up.

The group finally arrived no one said anything to Pat. Everyone was also wet from the rain and John said that he didn’t feel as though the weather was bad enough to stop working. The lightening wasn’t near us he claimed. Not one time did Pat complain or show how upset she truly was. The entire time that she waited she prayed and sang songs to God and was thanking him for the job and for keeping her safe. God gave her peace of mind and therefor she had forgiven the events of the day.

When everyone returned to the office they handed in their profits Pat had none she was told that she could leave and was also invited to a Party that John was throwing at his house. She declined, as she was desperate to get home, which required more walking and was very glad that it was the weekend and could rest and recuperate.

Pat had no intentions on quitting. She was just grateful for the job. On Sunday afternoon Pat received a message that she was being let go from the job and that if she had any questions to call and so she did. She Spoke with Tom who is the other director and she asked him why she was being let go and he said that John had complained that she walked too slowly and he needed to get to his work. I thought he was supposed to be training me, not doing his work, Pat replied. Tom said well that was what he said and that you didn’t seem too interested in the job. Tom was not aware of the events that Pat had to endure that day and after she had told him he really didn’t show any concern. All he was concerned with was the fact that I hadn’t gotten any donations.

When Pat finally spoke to John he said that he didn’t feel as though she was the best person for the job and did not want to go into further details. Pat was not paid for the day and still has not received any retribution. Was she fired because she walks too slowly?