The Broke Ass Brigade: The savage side of the American dream

The Broke Ass Brigade is a sarcastic account of the author’s employment in one of the largest retail chains in the world. Don entered the workforce as a young man barely out of high school, full of enthusiasm and idealism. He soon received a reality check about corporate America. Raised in the middle class, he believed in the value system of an honest day’s work for an honest wage. That by doing what was right and working hard, he would succeed. The Company Store, however, had other plans for him and his coworkers-the American working class. Terrorized by crazy and vindictive bosses, Don manages to maintain his sanity and sense of humor while dealing with the masses that frequent The Company Store. Illustrating the day-to-day interactions of his coworkers, he details the devastating effects of poor wages, false promises of promotion, threats to employees who call in sick or have life-threatening disabilities, and stagnate leadership which comprises the culture of The Company Store. Born with Asperger’s syndrome, Don brings an unusual and witty perspective to the everyday events he encounters. While employed he encounters a group of crusty and hard-nosed veterans who refer to themselves as The Broke Ass Brigade. They explain the demise of the American worker in The Company Store and point out the incredible injustices the corporation has handed out to its employees. Relevant to today’s Occupy Wall Street environment, The Broke Ass Brigade was written over a period of eight years and chronicles the lives and relationships of the workers of The Company Store. Join Don as he goes where we all have been and wondered: Are these people for real? Don is about to show you in a painfully sarcastic and funny way that yes they are.