Oh no you di’nt!!!
Geof got fired today from his voluntary job, but his gutless boss didn’t do it himself, he got other people to turn up AT THE DOJO and sort it out there.
There are people that aren’t turning up anymore because they were only coming to the classes because Geof was Sensei and the kids love him.
I’ll start from the beginning.
Geof has been working every Sunday morning at the local high school teaching Go-Kan-Ryu (GKR) (and no, I’m not linking the cowards) for the last few months. We were getting more and more students coming every week and everyone was happy.
Geof has been a member of GKR for 17 years. He had his brown belt and he was teaching his own classes when a back injury put him out of the picture for years, but last year he went back in again and he’s been loving it.
Geof doesn’t get paid for what he does on Sunday mornings. Apparently, at some stage, he’s given a percentage of what his classes have brought in, but we’ve never seen any money from that side of it and when we once asked about the percentage, details were sketchy at best, so we’re calling it voluntary because if you’re not getting paid, it’s not really a job – which makes this whole “sacking” kind of funny.
We’re a family of six. There is us, the three girls (Talia, Caris and Cheyenne) and Talia’s fiancee lives with us, too. Geof was offered a managerial position at Burridge Martial Arts and it’s not like he was doing anything else for GKR and earning a wage, so he said yes so he could provide for his family AND still be linked to martial arts. We’re not sure if this is the reason why he’s been “fired”, but we can’t think of anything else that could result from the balls up sacking that he got.
First, his gutless manager didn’t even tell Geof. He got other people to come down to the dojo just before Geof started the class, and those other people asked for Geof to hand over the dojo keys and his instructor’s belt – in front of his students and these people were unclear as to why they’re asking for them. When they tried to ring Sensei Jan (the useless manager) they couldn’t even get him on the phone – even though he issued instructions for them to come down and get the stuff from Geof and that if they had “any problems” to give him a call. There weren’t any problems – sure we’re confused, but we’re grown ups and we just handed shit over. Lynn (the poor messenger who didn’t look too pleased at doing the sacking) tried to call Jan but he didn’t answer his phone, and she tried calling three times.
When we rocked up to the dojo, there were former students at the gate waiting and they said they were doing the class. Geof said that he wasn’t aware of any changes and the students were going to go back home to have a sleep-in. We thought this had been organised because Geof had been in a car accident on Tuesday and Jan might have thought that Geof wouldn’t be able to make Sunday’s class, but we did… and it’s a good thing we showed up because no one else had keys to the gate leading to the dojo.
Lynn said that Jan had tried contacting Geof on his mobile, but since the car accident, we can’t do anything with his phone other than receive calls and even that’s awkward because the last setting Geof had his phone on was silent, so unless it’s on him or he’s looking at it, we don’t know the phone’s ringing. The screen is FUBAR’d so we can’t change settings, see text messages, or see who called, but Jan has our home phone number and with six people living here, there’s bound to be at least ONE person here to take a message. It’s not rocket science and we know he hasn’t called us at home because we asked the kids and nuh… no calls from Jan!
So now I’m thinking that Jan has tried to message Geof to sack him and what the fuck? Is he Phil Collins now? What’s wrong with actually TALKING to someone? Where’s all this “honour” and “respect” that they’re teaching in karate these days? Am I insane to think that the polite thing to do is actually TALK to a person when you’re sacking them from their voluntary job?
Lynn left a message for Jan to call us on our home phone so that we can figure out for sure what’s going on, but we think it’s because of this new job and I can’t wait to talk to the cowardly moron who thinks he’s a manager.
We’ve had calls from some parents already, voicing their displeasure at the fact that Geof is no longer going to be an instructor at the dojo. Paying parents that have said that they won’t be taking their kids to the classes anymore because Geof isn’t there. They have also said that it’s disgraceful the way he’s been treated and if he ever starts classes in Armadale to give them a call. Parents have asked for a way in which they can give feedback to GKR about Geof’s sacking.
Geof is an excellent instructor. He’s patient, knowledgeable and he was doing wonders with kids that had some social problems and I am confident that he will do an excellent job when he starts employment tomorrow.
The best part of it all is the fact that his new dojo with Burridge Martial Arts is just down the road from Jan’s residential home, and he’ll get to see how well Geof’s new dojo is going every time he walks out his front door.
Jan Lopez, you suck. While you might be good at martial arts, as a manager you are sadly lacking. Your high staff turn-over is evidence of that, and the way that you treated my husband is also a very accurate moral compass as to the type of person you are. If your business practices are indicative of what management of GKR is like, then I fear that the branching out that GKR is attempting in the US, Canada and UK are gonna fall on their collective asses. One can only hope that GKR employs capable people who know how to do the job correctly. Perhaps you could do a refresher course? Or maybe… a beginner’s course?
As it is, when we left, instructors in your pussy posse were bitching about the fact that one of them is going to have to do Sundays now, when Geof never whined at all, you idiot.
And yeah… Jan? Man up and actually talk to us on the phone, you fucking coward. You’ve been avoiding me since you put Geof’s back at risk with your retarded bowling expedition and know that when you call, you’ll be getting me
Say it like you mean it...
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jan must wear the pussy colored belt (white with a yellow streak in the center), as he couldn’t face geoff in person, had to send in him minions to do the sacking, and hasn’t called to explain.
it’s great to hear taht geoff is starting a new job on monday doing what he loves to do. hopefully some or all of his sunday students will be able to continue their training with him in his new place.
In all honesty, it’s a hell of a hike from where his former dojo was to where this one is now, and Geof doesn’t play dirty pool (that’s MY job).
He’s already signed on a few new members and he’s done pretty damn good for the three days he’s been running it. Already has his assistant (who nearly wet himself when Geof told him) and today when I walked in after work, they were “conditioning” their stomachs (one does sit ups while the other one punches him in the guts every sit up).
After 10 minutes of this, I said “are you gonna knock that shit off soon and come kiss your wife?” and I STILL had to wait!