I could write a book about what has transpired in the past 23 years as a retail store owner.

The biggest overall problem with store ownership is getting good RELIABLE help. I have found that over the years the mature, often retired adults are the best. I usually have 2 teenagers supplementing the adult staff, and it never ceases to amaze me the multitude of excuses I get from these young people. They all want to work, are desperate to save ...make...need money, and list their schedules and available times etc. Then they get hired and the missing work excuses come in like a 747 flying into Ohare airport.

They are sick..

They are going to the hospital...

They are in the hospital.

Their mother,father,aunt,uncle, brother,sister,dog,cat,neighbor,boyfirend,the guy,down the street is in the hospital

Their cousin, neighbor, dog, cat, turtle, someome from school, their friend' s uncle's cousin has died

Their car broke down, ran out of gas, had a flat, was in an accident, was stolen, was borrowed by a friend, mysteriously disappeared.

They are helping a friend through a personal crisis

They have a personal crisis.

They missed the bus.

They missed their ride.

They forgot that they decided that they should go to church on Sunday and it runs from 11:30-4: (our Sunday hours)_

They are helping a friend move out

They are helping a friend move to college

They have their prom, a friends prom, a siblings prom, a boyfriends prom, their parents reunion prom ( substitute dance,sporting event, shopping trip, theatre,concert, kiros,field trip,college visit for prom and the excuse is the same.

If they show up, these excuses also apply to why they are late or have to leave early.

I had one parent ask me why her daughter wasn't working one week and I told her that she wrote on the schedule that she was going on a family vacation. The teenagers bitch that the store doesn't give them enough hours, when in fact they just don't want to work. Please don't say that this isn't true. I have 3 sons and they pulled the same bullshit on employers when they had jobs. It must be something programed into teenage brains.