#2238 a**holes are everywhere

This is a gossip-y story about my fellow volunteers at RBG, but it annoyed me so much that I have to share.

This year for volunteers who have concert shifts that are four hours or longer, the Garden is providing meals from the catering company that runs the concession stand at the shows. We'll call the catering company CI. The meals consist of a sandwich, a pasta salad, maybe some chips, maybe a cookie. I don't actually know because I haven't had one. I have worked shifts longer than four hours, but I have declined the meal because I usually eat before I go to the show or I bring my own food.

I have heard from some volunteers that the sandwiches are good and they are glad to have them. I have heard from other volunteers that the sandwiches are not very good at all. This story is about a volunteer who thinks the sandwiches are terrible.

This volunteer, we'll call her Ms X (I don't know her name for real), was so disgruntled with the meal that the Garden provides for her during a shift in which she gets to watch live music and do some easy work in return, took it upon herself to write a letter to the catering company, CI, and tell them how crappy their sandwiches are. I heard from a very good source that the letter was "rude and appalling." Not only did she send the letter to CI, she also went to the concession stand and yelled at all the employees of CI about how they should be ashamed of selling the food to the public.

On Monday, the CEO of CI contacted the head of volunteers at RBG and let her know how upset he was about Ms. X's behavior toward the employees at the concession stand. He said he understood that this woman, Ms. X, was an isolated case and that most volunteers were very nice and polite, but this woman was way out of line.

Of course the head of volunteers met with Ms. X and told her that under no conditions was she to contact CI again. Ms. X paid no heed to that directive and went back to the concession stand for round two. That's when Ms. X lost her volunteer job. She had been volunteering at the Garden for over five years.

What kind of shit is this woman going through in her personal life that she would get so worked up over a damn sandwich? Just don't order the sandwich!

As I was doing my volunteer work on Saturday, I was thinking about how lucky I am to be able to volunteer there. I get to look at flowers and record what's blooming which helps the curation department make decisions about plants and also helps other gardens in the Intermountain West. Plus I learn a lot about the plants. I get to hang out in the Courtyard and read and talk to people from all over the world. I get to make sure someone's wedding goes just how they want it to go by greeting their guests and making sure they get to the reception to celebrate with the couple. And I get to hear bands that I probably wouldn't otherwise get to hear and all I have to do is pick up some garbage or point to the proper bin for recycling. It's a dream volunteer gig for me.

I get annoyed with other volunteers when I hear them say things like, "Ugh, now I have to clean up after all these messy people," or " Great, alcohol is being served at this wedding. Now I'll have to drive a bunch of drunks on this tram," or "Wow, that is a terrible sandwich (that I didn't have to have but took anyway because it was free)." Okay, they don't say that last part but it's true. PEOPLE! Do you hear yourselves?

I just don't get it.