Watching for the Signs

Getting down to work with my diet pop and blueberry muffin at my side (dreaming of the days of not worrying about fat and carbs) I pick up the phone ….Shoot there’s no dial tone. I jiggled the wires, pressed the buttons, even remember to check the plug – everything looks fine.

Leaving my little office in search of someone to fix the phone, I overhear the lady working in the next office (accounting). Ease-dropping was easy since she was yelling at her clerk). She said in a mix of English and Taiwanese, “you tell boss, no phone no money – you mistake not me or you fired”. I assumed that the clerk had not paid the phone bill. I was WRONG. The accountant was hiding something… and threatening her clerk if she told. Quietly I went back in to my closet and pretended for rest of the day that I didn’t know the phone was down.

A few weeks have gone by and I noticed more and more things are not available anymore. I couldn’t get supplies, send out mail, and saw signs but didn’t realize what was to come. Stupid me, I mentioned things to my friend at the office. A nice woman, a little order than me, and liked to gossip like I did.

Business 101 – Don’t let a wrongful firing make you feel bad …..

In other words, don’t let the bastard make you feel bad in order to make them feel better about themselves.


Prologue:

I’m a young woman in my 20’s, not so pretty, not so world savvy and happy to be making a whole $8.00 per/hr. This wasn’t my first job, probably 3-4th one in the mid 1980’s. Wow that makes me feel old – 80’s grrrrrr. Accepting your age is another lesson we all learn but how you live your age is the most important (and another story).

I was hired as a “subscription manager” for a company that produced 3 agriculture magazines. Boring job but it might grow on you….lol. I actually had my own office (I should say closet). Thought I had the good life. Oh to be young and naïve …..

The Big Job

For six months now, I have trudged to the magazine’s office. I am still just a bit excited about working in the publishing business. Wow maybe I could meet a real life star, well at least one with a green thumb (an up and coming Martha Stewart). Write my own column “Sassy Gals Green Thumb Gallivanting” lol or Sassy’s Plants… who knows.

I’m a dreamer, imagining all kinds of things as I walked on the bridge overlooking the Chicago River. Suddenly, black smoke engulfs me, ahhhh haaka kakah ahah coughing coughing….I wasn’t paying attention again, and walked as the train next to the river blew it’s smoke filled engine right up my skirt. Oh great, now I smell like diesel and the street guy got a cheap peak!