It’s a real bummer when good people end up getting canned from their jobs for stupid reasons. Sadly, that’s what happened to 77-year-old Boca Grande, Fla. toll collector Vladislav Samsono, according to WBBH.
After realizing he charged the driver of a tractor-trailer too little for their toll, Samsono decided to take the money out his own pocket to make up the difference. Upon finding this out, the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority punsihed him by cutting his shifts from five days a week, down to two days. Samsono turned down the reduced schedule, and was subsequently fired. The termination was shocking because although he had been asked previously by his supervisors to not pay for driver’s tolls, he was never formally written up for it.
Samsono had worked at the booth for almost 30 years, and was beloved by the community. He was known to throw in a few bucks every now and then for drivers who didn’t have the money for their tolls. “I’d put the six dollars in, I got the six dollars back the next day,” Samsonov said. He legimitely seemed to love his job, telling WBBH, “After 29 years, you can’t help it. I gave children suckers 20 years ago. Now I’m giving those children suckers for their children.”
If kindly old toll collectors can’t keep their jobs, no one’s position is safe.
(Via WBBH)