The Other Shoe Drops

I picked up the phone on my desk at work. "World's Best Company Ever. This is Selina. How may I help you?"

My manager, Micromanaging Dictator, speaks crisply.  "Would you please come down to the Situation Room?"

"Certainly.  Sandy is about to start a training. Do you need me now?"

"Yes. This won't take long.  I picked up my notepad and a pen and strode confidently to the conference room.  I passed a large man wearing a trench coat standing just outside the conference room door.  Inside, my supervisor, manager, and a woman I'd never met were already seated. 

"Please have a seat," Micromanaging Dictator waved towards a chair across the table from her.  I sat dutifully and smiled at her. 

My supervisor Spineless Puppet then began to speak.  "It has been reported to us that you were sleeping at your desk.  This is an immediately terminable offense."

I was completely shocked.  "I have not been sleeping at my desk.  That would not even be a consideration."

Micromanaging Dictator stepped in.  "You were seen by a member of upper management earlier this morning with your head down on your desk."

"I was not sleeping. I was actually crying."  I had separated from my husband several months ago, and some days were better than others.

"Well that is not acceptable behavior either.  Please turn in your badge, corporate card and Blackberry.  Your employment with the World's Best Company Ever is officially terminated effective immediately.  You will not be allowed to return to your desk.  Spineless Puppet and I will collect your jacket and purse and return momentarily.  Your other personal effects will be mailed to you later this week.  Barb from Human Resources will explain to you any exit benefits you may have entitled to you."

With that, Micromanaging Dictator and Spineless Puppet stood.

"I would like the pictures of my kids off of my desk please."  I requested.

"We will bring those as well." 

They vanished from the room, leaving me with Barb.  She began to blather on about severance pay, health benefits, and unemployment compensation.  I really didn't hear or comprehend anything she said.  I could not believe that this was happening.  It seemed like a bad dream that couldn't be happening to me.  I just won a Director's Circle Award for my work on the software conversion project.  I had just come back from a successful site visit with a prestigious client.  Somewhere in the midst of all of this, it dawned on me that I was going to leave my carpool buddy in the lurch. 

I interrupted Barb in the middle of a sentence.  "I need to call Melissa in Purchasing.  I have to tell her that I won't be here to give her a ride home." 

Since I was not allowed to use the computers, it took some effort for them to track down Melissa's extension in the company directory.  Barb dialed the number and then let me have the phone.

"Melissa, it's Selina.  I've been terminated. I have to leave the building immediately.  I will not be able to give you a ride home."

She was stunned. "You're kidding me!  What happened? No, don't tell me. We'll talk later.  Don't let them see you cry.  Walk out with your head held high."

"Thanks," I managed to squeak.  "I'll talk to you later."  I handed the phone back to Barb and she put it back on the receiver.

We waited for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Micromanaging Dictator and Spineless Puppet returned with my purse, coat and a bag full of my photo frames.  I opened my purse and turned in my Amex Card.  I put on my coat and walked out the conference room door.  The large man who had been standing outside the door followed me out into the elevator bay and rode down to the lobby with me.  He walked behind me all the way out the front door.  I never looked back.  I opened the front door and kept on walking.  Little did I know what I was walking towards.  If I had a clue, I would have gotten on the next Greyhound bus and disappeared.