Blind-Sided, Maybe / An Occasion| Jan Wilbur
I asked for it over and over again, out loud, in their face. So why was I surprised when it finally happened?
I had been with the company for six years and really enjoyed a lot of the people I worked with including one of the owners who was always telling me how much they appreciated my work. I had retired in early 1996 and moved to Cedar City from Southern California. I began working outside for this company part time in the summer of 2000. It was construction work so when the housing boom hit Cedar City in 2004 it looked like the work load would increase and I would probably be working through the winter. The company owner and I went out on atv's one day to do a job west of Milford, I had a little accident, hurt my knee, had knee surgery, and knew I was going to be retiring from the work outside.
One of the engineers in the office knew I had practiced architecture in California and wanted me to come work in the office and do architectural and engineering design drawings. He was great to work with, really liked me as well as the work I did for him (unfortunately he left after a couple of months). Here I was again in an office, surrounded by four walls, at a desk, forty hours a week. Besides that there was the office staff. Indoor people are a lot different than outdoor people, a lot more stressed, not as happy, not as friendly. On top of everything else the office manager did not particularly care for me when I was working outside and couldn't do much about it, but now that I was in her domain, watch out. I knew in my mind this was not were I wanted to be and quite consciously I would make remarks like "what if I am not here then" when ever I had the chance. I usually got a response and would just shrug and smile.
One day at the end of work the engineering manager came in. A drawing had been from my computer and that version had disappeared of the main server. I had no explanation and went home that evening. The next morning I came in and the engineering manager wanted to see me in his office. I pointed out to him that the day the drawing was printed I wasn't even at work that day. I get this mmmmm from him and I knew that was it. The office manager has her chance to get rid of me and she probably made it clear to him that I was to be gone (after all she had slapped him once so I am sure he would do as she wished). I was told I was no longer needed and having never been fired before I was surprised I didn't feel all that bad about it. He asked me if I was okay and was surprised when I said yes, why wouldn't I be.
I took a few months off and then starting looking for a job. I turned down an opportunity with a local architect and instead accepted a job with a large retailer in town. Upon my hire the manager in my department told the person hiring me he did not think I could do it without previous retail experience. I did it and I did it well. Feeling I can do anything I want to, I am back in college , ready to start something new.
I had been with the company for six years and really enjoyed a lot of the people I worked with including one of the owners who was always telling me how much they appreciated my work. I had retired in early 1996 and moved to Cedar City from Southern California. I began working outside for this company part time in the summer of 2000. It was construction work so when the housing boom hit Cedar City in 2004 it looked like the work load would increase and I would probably be working through the winter. The company owner and I went out on atv's one day to do a job west of Milford, I had a little accident, hurt my knee, had knee surgery, and knew I was going to be retiring from the work outside.
One of the engineers in the office knew I had practiced architecture in California and wanted me to come work in the office and do architectural and engineering design drawings. He was great to work with, really liked me as well as the work I did for him (unfortunately he left after a couple of months). Here I was again in an office, surrounded by four walls, at a desk, forty hours a week. Besides that there was the office staff. Indoor people are a lot different than outdoor people, a lot more stressed, not as happy, not as friendly. On top of everything else the office manager did not particularly care for me when I was working outside and couldn't do much about it, but now that I was in her domain, watch out. I knew in my mind this was not were I wanted to be and quite consciously I would make remarks like "what if I am not here then" when ever I had the chance. I usually got a response and would just shrug and smile.
One day at the end of work the engineering manager came in. A drawing had been from my computer and that version had disappeared of the main server. I had no explanation and went home that evening. The next morning I came in and the engineering manager wanted to see me in his office. I pointed out to him that the day the drawing was printed I wasn't even at work that day. I get this mmmmm from him and I knew that was it. The office manager has her chance to get rid of me and she probably made it clear to him that I was to be gone (after all she had slapped him once so I am sure he would do as she wished). I was told I was no longer needed and having never been fired before I was surprised I didn't feel all that bad about it. He asked me if I was okay and was surprised when I said yes, why wouldn't I be.
I took a few months off and then starting looking for a job. I turned down an opportunity with a local architect and instead accepted a job with a large retailer in town. Upon my hire the manager in my department told the person hiring me he did not think I could do it without previous retail experience. I did it and I did it well. Feeling I can do anything I want to, I am back in college , ready to start something new.
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