GOOD JOBS ARE HARD TO FIND, HARDER TO KEEP

For the third time in six months, I may soon be seeking part-time employment. During my shift earlier today at Port City Java, a coffeehouse in the heart of New Bern's historic downtown district, I was infuriated to learn that I'm scheduled to work just eight hours next week. If my hours are slashed again the following week, I'll have no choice but to submit my immediate resignation due to my employer's failure to honor a scheduling promise made at the time of my employment.

When I was hired at PCJ, the manager guaranteed me a minimum of 20 hours per week. Unfortunately, she was not available today for me to speak with directly, but another manager assured me she had consulted with her and the current schedule would stand.

For background information, there are at least three and maybe as many as five managers for the small coffeehouse. I can't keep track of who's really in charge over there; the franchise suffers from a ridiculously scattershot management that is as inefficient as it is incomprehensible. But the point is, there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians, and the employees get short shrift because of it.

I've grown tired of these low-wage part-time jobs, and it will be a tremendous relief when my summer internship begins and I can get a taste of a professional work environment. Problem is, when I start school again in the fall, I'll have to find another crummy job to cover tuition and other expenses.

To quote Mike Meyers' character in the early-'90s cult classic movie Wayne's World, "I've had my share of Joe jobs. Let's just say I have an extensive collection of name tags and hair nets."