All the blood ran out of his face when my boss said they were putting me on a plan. It’s not the kind of plan you want to be put on. I became aware of my body language, uncrossed my arms, sat back, leaned forward, smiled.
I went back to my desk and pretended everything was normal, updated a deck and sent it with a cheery note, then cleared my calendar for the next couple hours, said I was sick, got in my vanpool van and headed south, not sure where I was going.
I stopped under a bridge in a congested area that leads to an industrial island and called my friend Steve, who had been through this before. We made plans for beer and advice after work.
And then I drove back to the parking garage at work and sat there in the dark, waiting to feel something but nothing came.
For a while now, I haven’t been happy at work. You can accept that to an extent, but it’s your line to draw for yourself. I said to my boss in my mid-year review, I don’t love it enough to be as good at it as I should be.
The guy who cuts my hair says it’s what I’ve wanted, and there’s something with my ego I have to understand and address, then move on.
So last night I made a southern variation on chicken pot pie, with bacon and frozen corn, and we finished the wine my friends brought for my birthday. Even with a slipped disc, I could still shake my rump to some Outkast while Dawn filmed it on her phone and the girls covered their faces in disgust.
I warmed the hot tub and after, we fell asleep watching a movie on the laptop in bed. I submitted two pieces to a writing contest, titled The World of Nameless Birds and How to Make Believe. My first attempts at publication, with a $1,000 prize. A year later, a better writer.
Post title inspired by Gene Clark song, The Strength of Strings, 1974.
Categories: death
Someone else making “our” plans is no fun.
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You know it. Thanks Alesia. Enjoy this day! Icicles and sun rays, gorgeous.
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It will open another door…
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I sure hope so, thanks. I like doors and openings. Life is good.
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This sounds dire. What’s a plan? Is this code? It sounds Orwellian. Or American. What does it mean?
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It’s Corporate. I was incorporated. Sorry to be obtuse. Dinner at 5 sound good? We can catch up then over some roasted squash.
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Glad to hear you have the writing. I still spend too much time watching finger pointing CYA dance from up close.
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That sounds icky, I’m sorry. CYA dance, no no. Life is too short for bad theatre.
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I see that you are revisiting the corporate exit as the one year anniversary approaches, or at least my comment. How do the barber’s comment sound to you today?
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Good eye…takes a lot longer to process than I would have thought.
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Anything called ‘the plan’ is ominous at best. Time for a change to something that does not include a plan. Good news about the writing – best, Beth
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Thank you Beth.
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Good luck with the contests 🙂 Sorry to hear about what you’re going through at work.
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Thank you Karen! I really appreciate the well wishes, means a lot. Hope you’re well.
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Many commiserations on being the object of corporate fxxxwittage. But, hey, you are a great writer, so more power to your creativity. Keep writing, writing, writing…
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Thank you so much Tish!
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