Affects on Life from”Babyboomerisms”
Reflecting on my 52-year career in both the supermarket and transportation industry, the Baby Boomer, over time, has created, what he calls “babyboomerisms”, which have had a tremendous impact on many people’s lives. I will only be revealing four of my “babyboomerisms” in this post for you to “chew on” so to speak.
First, though, I learned early on as a youngster from my dad that you can never compromise your integrity. Once you have, he said, it’s something you’ll never be able to recover from and you’ll also lose any dignity. He said to always tell the truth, even when it hurts to do so for once you tell one lie it will only lead to more lies and even more lies. Telling the truth is so much easier than having to attempt to cover your lies.
Another practice I adopted once I had been awarded responsibility in my career, which really wasn’t that difficult to adhere to with the Baby Boomer being a “loner”, was not to socialize with those I worked with as sometime “down the road” I may have to hold them accountable for their failure to perform to the set standards. Not having a social relationship with those I worked with ensured things not becoming personal–only strictly business.
The last thing I did to be able to maintain my integrity and socialization was to create the mantra of removing lust from my life. In college, not to get into any specifics other than to say the Baby Boomer experienced a life’s realization while in a brief relationship with a woman which brought to him extreme clarity. I’m also one who believes in commitment and realizes the sacredness of my marriage vows to La Bear!
While working at Giant Food and being assigned to Giant #133 (Kettering) as the Assistant Manager near the Capital Centre in Largo, MD, is where I created the “babyboomerism” of “shocked but not surprised”. The store was also located close to the Giant Corporate Office in Landover meaning we, on a daily basis, would welcome many guests from the office as this was a “test” store for the company.
Each morning, after finalizing our last deposit from the day before, we would count our safe expecting it to be where it should be and normally that would be the case. However, for some unknown reason, we began to experience a regular $20 shortage a number of times which was very unusual. We reported it to Loss Prevention and they came over to investigate coming to the conclusion there was a thief among us which created a mood of consternation. Only known to myself and the General Manager, Loss Prevention put in a hidden camera looking down at the activity in the office where the safe was located. Giant, due to attrition and growth, would move and promote its management on a regular basis. A well-respected senior veteran who had been a District Manager and now was the Director of Loss Prevention was visiting the store often in his new position. Within two weeks, Loss Prevention found out who the thief was via the hidden camera and had allowed them to steal more than once in order to clear any doubt whatsoever that this was indeed the thief. When it was revealed, the thief was the new Director of Loss Prevention, I was clearly “shocked but not surprised”.
It was a Giant policy not to leave the office while unauthorized personnel were visiting, but the film from the hidden camera witnessed our leaving the Director of Loss Prevention as who would’ve ever thought they would be the one stealing just $20 at a time. Unfortunately, though correctly, he was immediately terminated and I’ve often wondered why he felt the need to steal to which is a question I’ve never been able to answer. Upon reflection, I was “shocked but not surprised” and over the years this “babyboomerism” has been used many, many times.
This experience along with seeing the demise of so many high-powered business executives with whom I’ve worked with is where this “babyboomerism” comes into play–“a reputation takes a career to build and a day to destroy”! Why in the world do folks work so hard to achieve some sort of success just to see it disappear in a mere moment by doing something senseless and stupid!
Sexual harassment really emerged in the workplace back in the 1980’s as, I would say, many men showed so little moral integrity thinking, due to their position of authority, they could promiscuously act in a way to take advantage of willing women. I certainly didn’t coin the next “babyboomerism” that was commonly known in the supermarket industry although I used it a lot “shaking my head” at the immoral actions of so, so many and how it led to the end of their careers–“you don’t get your meat where you get your bread”.
One last “babyboomerism” which I will share is “no one is bigger than the organization–I don’t care who they think they are”! Why so many business leaders owned such tremendous egos was always “mind-blowing” to me as everyone “puts their pants on the same way”. But for some unknown reason, they felt they were above it all and didn’t really have to follow the rules everyone else was required to follow. Sure, they got away with it for a while, but not for long as it would always eventually catch up to them.
While working at W/M, there was an individual who rose quickly within the organization finally attaining the position of Vice-Chairman where after not being named CEO, which he tremendously resented and never got over, eventually led to his demise. He was an intimidator and extremely vindictive who used his power to act as a “bully” owning this huge ego. He, allegedly, decided to hold a huge party for a number of favored vendors in Dallas which was completely against company policy. Hey, it gets even much worse as he authorized a corporate jet to go from Dallas to Mexico City to pick up a group of, I’m just going to say it, high-priced whores to entertain the vendors back in Dallas. Well, I’m not gonna say there was a “cover-up”, but after an internal investigation the Vice-Chairman resigned and was indicted for embezzling $500,000 where he plead guilty having to pay back the $500,000 and spend 5 years of home detention due to supposed poor health.
Not only did he prove that “no one is bigger than the organization–I don’t care who they think they are”, but he was also guilty of the other three “babyboomerisms” as well. Hey, no worries, he finally got what he deserved!!
Finally, yesterday, as I was leaving my Publix, another individual was coming into the store to which I had to give a “double-take” or, perhaps, a “triple-take”!!!! They had sandals with socks on, shorts, a tank top, dirty blonde dyed hair that wasn’t quite shoulder length, a full beard and mustache, and two bouncy breasts sans bra!!!! Huh, what, you’ve gotta be kidding, what in the world, OMG!!!! Getting to my vehicle, I had to sit in the car attempting to come to terms with what I just witnessed coming to the conclusion that it’s 2025 and I was “shocked but not surprised” using my own “babyboomerism”!!!!