Dock Master Bruce!

Sunday we moved our files over from the Mission Bay store to discover
we had just missed our first delivery. It went easy peasy, but it was
a Sunday after all...

Today, Monday, we got to the site and had to scramble for helmets for
the newer staff. I ended up being defacto dock master for three hours
as about six unscheduled deliveries showed up including a FedEx truck
with 8 pallets! Getting our pallet jacks to the dock turned out to be
as difficult as getting the pallets off the truck. Very busy at the
loading dock; a long line of trucks extending down Jesse and down
Mission street. Construction, mostly, as we are the first to move in
(not counting Bloomies which already has clothes on the rack (I peeked).

Bottleneck at the three freight elevators, too, moving equipment up
and down, although I have to say the union elevator operators were
friendly and helpful despite the chaos. Everyone with a hard hat (and
that would be everyone there) seemed to be working! Quite the circus.
I'm surprised no one got run down in the busy loading dock.

Meanwhile, new hires drifted in, our hard hats finally arrived (we
had only a few), and the trainers showed up. We doled out the walkie
talkies and half of us ran around like madmen while the other half
sat on their duffs.

I was on the phone half the day with confused new staff ("where do we
go?" "When do I work?") and the just as confused Westfield people
("We'll supply the badges." "You need to supply the badges." "Have
your people come in the loading dock." "Your people have to use the
new employee entrance.") I think I've got it all figured out. Our
late shift arrived just before the second big FedEx truck. I signed
for the delivery and headed for MUNI; dog tired.

Tuesday is our big day. All the rest of the staff arrive (about 70
more) and we get 48 pallets (luckily, at 11 pm, when the dock is
quiet and the elevators are just for us!).

So I ended up with the key to the store, since I live closest, and am
opening at 6 a.m. so the construction workers can start early. A long
long day. But I've got my new hard hat!