Today is a new moon. It can mark the beginning of something, or it can be a great time to begin something new. Today has marked yet another ending for me – or is it another beginning?
I had first hand experience this afternoon, with corporate greed. I witnessed the shirking of personal responsibility for the sake of the bottom line. Just over a month ago, I made a lateral move in the company that I have been working for. I was working in an office where my experience as a business owner, as well as my writing abilities were being appreciated. The woman whom I was training under was awesome, as was the office manager. My supervisor was in another building and I had very little interaction with her, though she exuded that quality of charm known only to southern women. Around 2:00 this afternoon, she, and the top dog of the company, marched into my office unexpectedly. They sent my trainer into another room before coming into the room where I was working at my computer, sat down at the adjacent table and invited me to come sit with them. I suspected something quite unpleasant, so I remained standing. Impatiently, Top Dog proceeded to tell me that they were terminating me. (Fortunately, this was not in the more literal sense, like in the movie, The Terminator.) He blabbered something about being behind on the bookings. I knew that this was absolutely not true. G, who was training me and was head of the department, had informed me that we were finally caught up and she could focus on the completion of my training. He said something about not attaining the revenue that he believed they should be achieving. (They had just raised all of their prices, which no doubt will have a negative effect on their profit.) He handed me a very brief, but formal letter, which stated that they were not required to give a reason for my dismissal. I said okay and turned around to go back to my desk; then I turned back around and told them that they were screwing themselves, because now they would have to train someone else. I looked right at Ms. Southern Charm and asked, “Now do you want to tell me the real reason?” She declined to answer. Before they left, Top Dog said they would let me stay until 3:00 pm. (How generous.) Ms. Southern Charm never said a word the entire time.
The events of today are a reminder to me of the many reasons that I have been self-employed for most of my life. I have never cared for the games that people play. I know in my heart that I have done an exemplary job these past weeks. It is their loss. Perhaps this is another beginning, but I am running out of beginnings. I would much prefer a happy ending.
