Did you ever hear those dreaded words? Well a few weeks ago my boss called and just before we ended the call she said those fateful words. I immediately felt like I was 7 and had been caught with my hand in the sweet jar – in this infantile voice (or so it sounded like to me) I said ‘Have I done something wrong?’.
‘I don’t want to discuss it over the phone’ she said. That was the death knell! I knew then I was getting the heave-ho! I came off the phone with my mouth wide open – Himself knew there was something up. Last time I had been so silent like this was when I found out I was pregnant when my son was 11 months old!
Later that day – under duress – my ‘contractor boss’ and my ‘client boss’ agreed to meet me in a local hotel. I had planned before hand to give them the maximum humiliation possible. So I picked an open plan area next to the main door. I had an ample supply of tissues to hand. I would publicly embarrase them to make them pay for treating me like shite!
It was the time old story of re-structuring and I knew EVERYTHING about my role and they were new and knew zero. So I like the eejit I was rapidly becoming had helped them with everything even though slowly I began to see my power being taken away. I had planned to raise this a few times – but got sidelined by them.
So now as I sat in the hotel foyer I was ready with my uncomfortable questions.
I saw them squrim and avoid eye contact with me. They examined their finger nails and lastly the fllor tiles as I fired a barrage of questions at them. I asked them was this how to treat a sales manager? How long did they know this was happening? Did they lie to me six months ago when they said my job was safe as houses (Ireland in 2011? disaster!)? They knew my husband had a heart attack in October? They tried to interject that it was difficult for them too.
You know there are times in life when it is a distinct advantage to be from the North of Ireland and my God this was one of them!
‘Difficult for you? Do you want to sit in my chair and see what its like over here? People close by even lokked embarrased.
I felt stressed and ready to either punch someone in the face or drink at least a bottle or red wine – I sensibly chose the latter.
That was one of two terrible days – the next terrible one was when I had to go into the office and meet with HR.
survivingredundancy 