The Coalition of Sierra J. Rubenstein

AWW II: Sears and Drugs

    Sierra has had an interesting history with jobs. Since Sierra was homeschooled and graduated the year before me, She had spent more time looking for a job than me. I had been working since late my sophomore year of high school and had not been unemployed since. Sierra spent the first year of being a graduate not actually doing anything in the workforce. She was with Danny at the time and she was studying at Anne Arundel Community College to become a nurse. She told me that her dad was upset with her for not trying to get a job to help support herself and her family. Sierra ended up with a job at the bookstore of the college. That is where I use to speak with Sierra after my classes. She dropped out of the nursing program and left the bookstore for not providing enough money, along with not treating her well. Around the time we got together, Sierra joined the Empire Beauty School to get her cosmetology license for nails and hair. She was in school for most of the first year with me and was out of work at the time. When she dropped out of school again, Sierra took up child care at her mother's center. The center was called Creative Gardens and it was a horrible place. It was dirty, bug infested, and the workers were hostile. Sierra told me she quit her job after an incident there, but I suspected she was fired for what she did. This was the last job Sierra's mom worked before her long hiatus of being unemployed. Sierra then took up a job at Sears. This next job was the one I hated the most. Sierra always bragged about how much money she made and that is why she believed I hated the job. I told her many times I was happy with that, I just wished she did not spend all her money as soon as she got it. I wanted her to pay for more things that we did since she had SO MUCH money, but I know where the money was being put towards.
    Sierra had to work a lot of hours through the entire week. So we had little time for each other. I only ever saw her when I got off work or right before I left for my morning shift. Sometimes Sierra would be asleep by the time I got home so I would not be able to talk with her. At least I still could cuddle with her. During the holiday seasons, Sierra would sleep over at the store and I would not even see her for a day or two. I stayed respectful to her choice to work at Sears because she was happy and earning a good wage. My next issue that put some doubt in our relationship was her "friend" Larry. She kept talking about Larry so much. He was her best friend at work, but she thought he was a bit creepy from time to time. Sierra never told me that she would get off work early and hangout with Larry. What makes me such a good boyfriend was the fact that I listened to Sierra; so when she told me that she was getting off at four for the entire week, it seemed weird that she came home past seven most of the week. I even caught Sierra in a lie. She told me she went out with her coworkers for dinner, but she came home wondering if we saved her food for her dinner. She swears that was not said. Oops! You fucked up. That was when I prodded her relentlessly to explain what she was up too: Sierra was doing drugs and Larry was her dealer. She was driving up to his place in northern Maryland to get the drugs. I would like to say it was just weed, but she loved to brag to my brother how much drugs she has done. She shared too many stories and knowledge on other drugs with my brother such as dropping acid. Drugs was an issue I had. I have seen my brother ruin his life and some of my friends, who could not quit, as well. I wanted to be with a woman that can be sober and live in reality...with me. I gave her the choice: me or the drugs. She took her time answering, but she settled on me. I thought that would be the end of the problems at Sears, but I was wrong again.
    Again, I would visit Sierra at work every once in awhile to have lunch or see her. I went shopping with my mother on Black Friday and I decided to try and hunt down Sierra on her two day shift. I asked her coworkers which section she was working. I surprised her and managed to talk with her before any costumers swarmed her at checkout. I introduced myself to her coworkers before I left her be. The real alarming fact was how I overheard a statement from one of her coworkers. She said, "I had no idea you had a boyfriend". I forgot to mention that the worker who said this was her friend that she talked with and hung out with all the time, but I never came up? Shady behavior. I still believed that she was with Larry on the side to this day. When Sierra told Larry that I was making her quit, he became very offended and possessive. He kept harassing Sierra and following her around trying to get her back. He ultimately backed off when Sierra threatened to turn him in to the police for growing and selling weed. Soon after everything said and done, Sierra was let go for not meeting her quota sales on credit cards. I was happy that she would not be working there, but sad for her losing a decent wage. A few weeks later, Sierra would go back to the child care field when she got a job at The Goddard School.