Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Is That All There Is to a Fire . . . .

. . . something about waking up before six AM that does a number on my stomach. Like I interrupted my body's workflow so as my comeuppance, I'm forced to endure a feeling akin to stage fright through to the midday.

A meeting was scheduled weeks in advance through an Outlook invite that read like a neighborhood assault. It will be early. You will be here. So this morning I woke early and dressed by the light reflecting in from the window. I could only make out the bright colors of my wardrobe and the sleeping shape of The Girlfriend who had pulled away the covers in the night and lay curled against her side of the bed. There's such a tranquility to watching someone you love sleep. To see that source of so much laying idle. You have to fight the compulsion to not lay aside them.

The meeting was held in the smallest of conference rooms. Two women never before seen sat in the corner. The pads jutted from the shoulders of their power suits. Their hair hung wet and stringy. I figured they flew in last night, woke up early this morning, and dried their hair as best as a hotel room dryer could. Before they were even announced, I knew they from HR.

It's the scene that everyone remembers. Alec Baldwin plays the man sent in from downtown. In one of the greatest inspirational speeches of all-time, he effectively fires the gang of rag-tag salesman and tells them they have 30-days to get their jobs back. In the Lower Level 30 version, the department is being outsourced to a new firm that meets the City's requirements. Luckily, the new managing entity will allow us to interview for our old jobs. The meeting ended with no questions. There was really nothing to say. Tina taps me on the shoulder and with pride says, "I'm used to this. This is my 5th time being laid off."

I'll interview for my job on Monday. If all goes well, the transition should be seamless. Only I'll come in one day with a lower salary, 5 vacation days and 5 sicks days.

I've never lost a job in the interview. Add to the fact that I've made myself necessary in this office (Seriously, I have. What do you think I do when I'm not blogging?) I should be a pretty damned viable candidate. Still, the new regime might decide on a complete overhaul, leaving me out of work and Lower Level 30 an outdated url.

Stay tuned. This might get bloody . . .

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great resource!

A.v.E said...

Your face is a great resource!