Well, lovely friends, what a day it was. And not one I would want to repeat for a LONG, LONG time.
The work thing happened - and Lesley was spot on in anticipating that it might affect me more than I think, even though I was thoroughly fed up there! So true!
What shocked me the most was how so many people avoided eye contact with us all - my five comrades who had been 'let go'! It made the whole morning really quite depressing and as they had already sacked one of my team members who left last week and the other one is on sick leave, I felt rather lonely. Fortunately, my husband was texting me throughout, updating me on the job hunts and references. Former clients are happy to endorse me! Phew! And that helped a lot - just getting positive feedback.
Back at the call centre, there are still many temps in the building - from the same agency - who just looked away when I walked past. We sent out group emails, saying goodbye and how great it was to work with everyone. How many people responded? Less than five. No goodbye cards, no thank yous. Nothing! Well, that's not strictly true; one of my special project managers wrote me a lovely email, as did her colleague. It was tear-jerking stuff - they said they would miss my sunny nature!! At work, I am super friendly, super sunny, super...professional.
And then I got a call from my husband, asking me if I had heard the news. What news? And then he told me - one of his closest friends from his last job - had just lost his wife. She had had a massive heart attack last night. In spite of the paramedics doing all they could, by the time they got her to hospital, it was too late.
They have a nine year old son and no family here because they are from the other side of the world. Literally.
I had to remove myself from the office and go to the loo to cry. This is the second heart attack news I have heard in a week. Porkchop's father-in-law had one last week but survived. He faces a triple bypass any day now.
I don't know who I was crying for the most - the friend who is now a widower, his wife who won't see her son grow up or their little boy whose whole life will have been inexorably changed by what has just happened. I offered to pick him up this afternoon (he went to school, I guess to keep things normal) - it's the practical things that make all the difference at this time. Fortunately, the friend has an amazing boss who has stepped in and is making lots of arrangements.
It has made today's office nonsense pale into insignificance, it really has. And as I said to my lovely neighbour, this is a wake up call. Life is precious. Life is short. We have to live it as positively and as healthily as we can.
I spent the evening on the allotment and just felt very, very sad.
Hey Mrs. I'm sorry to hear about a crap ending to a pretty crap job experience. At least you can hold your head up high that you did your bit and remained professional in the face of extreme provocation. I don't think I would have done. And there are a few snippets of good that have come from it aren't there? I'm sure you'll look back and find that you learned a lot about yourself and what's important.
What terrible news about your husband's fiend's wife. A total tragedy all round. it really makes you realise how lucky we are with our health doesn't it? Prayers being said tonight.....
Chin up and I hope this opens the door for a great new experience for you very soon.
Big hug.
Lesley x
Posted by: LesleyLesley | June 25, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Sorry about the lousy work experience. People never do seem to know how to behave gracefully when they're embarrassed. And sometimes you can be at a loss to know what to say when you can see it's all just grim. They'll miss you more than you'll miss them!
Sorry about your friend's wife too. Dreadful and especially for her son. You're right - it's a sobering thought and puts things in perspective too. I'm sure you going to the allotment was a healthy way of processing all that emotion - so well done.
love
Peridot x
Posted by: Peridot | June 26, 2008 at 09:33 AM