losing my job. Would I have worked harder, kissed more corporate ass if I had? I honestly didn’t know.
‘I’m sure you’ll find the severance package you’ve been awarded very generous,’ Rebecca continued as I sat in silent shock, trying to take in what she’d just told me. ‘And you’ll have a few minutes to clear your desk …’
Somehow, I found my voice. ‘You mean you want me to leave now?’
‘Of course, Summer. What else did you think? That we’d let you stick around long enough to poach our client list, maybe sneak some virus into the computer system? Please …’ Behind me, the office door opened. When I looked round, Mary Lou stood in the doorway, that same unfriendly smile on her face, a sturdy brown cardboard box in her hand. Alongside her was Tim, one of the company’s security guards. It always seemed to me he’d been hired for his charming manner on the front desk rather than as serious muscle, seeing as how he stood barely any taller than my own five foot five, and looked swamped by his navy blue serge uniform.
Even though I knew this was standard procedure, it didn’t make me feel any better as the guy escorted me to my desk and stood watching as I started packing my few personal possessions, just to make sure I didn’t try any clever ideas like downloading files on to a flash drive, or forwarding any confidential information to my personal email address.
Everyone had noticed what was going on, heads poking over the top of their cubicles like a mob of curious meerkats, but only Delia came over to say anything. Delia, my best friend in the company – hell, probably my best friend anywhere.
‘Summer, what’s happening?’ she asked, a startled look on her pretty, heart-shaped face.
‘Company cost-cutting,’ I told her, ‘and the cost they’ve decided to cut is me.’
‘But that’s just awful. You’ve been here – what, five years? Whatever happened to last in, first out?’
I shrugged. That might have been an effective policy, if it hadn’t been for the fact almost all of the people who’d joined the department after me had already been promoted at least a grade higher. When I’d started here, I’d been at the bottom of the pile, and even after all this time, though I’d never intended it, that’s where I’d managed to stay.
Delia laid her slender fingers over mine, and gave them a reassuring squeeze, letting me know everything would be OK, even if it didn’t feel like it right now. ‘What will you do?’ she asked.
I hadn’t even thought about it. ‘I don’t know. Go home. Cry. Punch the wall. Play Bon Jovi so loud the neighbours complain.’
‘Well, at least you haven’t lost your sense of humour, honey.’ Delia grinned. She glanced round the floor. The initial excitement over, people were beginning to return to their work. ‘Tell you what, when the dust’s settled, we’ll all go out and have a few drinks. Kind of like a belated leaving party. What do you say?’
‘Maybe.’ Apart from Delia, I didn’t want to see any of my co-workers again once I walked out of here for good, not even to take a last, fond peek at Calvin’s ass. Not able to bring myself to tell her that, I finished my packing.
The last of my things stowed in the cardboard box, I made to log off my computer, but Tim shook his head, warning me not to touch it. Instead, I gave Delia a quick hug, promising her I’d ring her very soon, and made my way to the elevator.
Tim and I rode down 32 floors in silence. It seemed like he didn’t quite know what to say to me, and I wondered whether I was the first employee he’d ever had to escort from the premises. The way Rebecca had been talking, I guessed if sales of the Reporter didn’t pick up soon, I wouldn’t be the last. God help the guy if he ever needed to make sure the likes of big, athletic Calvin left the building without making a scene.
Only when we were outside on the sidewalk, my company identity pass clutched securely
‘I’m sure you’ll find the severance package you’ve been awarded very generous,’ Rebecca continued as I sat in silent shock, trying to take in what she’d just told me. ‘And you’ll have a few minutes to clear your desk …’
Somehow, I found my voice. ‘You mean you want me to leave now?’
‘Of course, Summer. What else did you think? That we’d let you stick around long enough to poach our client list, maybe sneak some virus into the computer system? Please …’ Behind me, the office door opened. When I looked round, Mary Lou stood in the doorway, that same unfriendly smile on her face, a sturdy brown cardboard box in her hand. Alongside her was Tim, one of the company’s security guards. It always seemed to me he’d been hired for his charming manner on the front desk rather than as serious muscle, seeing as how he stood barely any taller than my own five foot five, and looked swamped by his navy blue serge uniform.
Even though I knew this was standard procedure, it didn’t make me feel any better as the guy escorted me to my desk and stood watching as I started packing my few personal possessions, just to make sure I didn’t try any clever ideas like downloading files on to a flash drive, or forwarding any confidential information to my personal email address.
Everyone had noticed what was going on, heads poking over the top of their cubicles like a mob of curious meerkats, but only Delia came over to say anything. Delia, my best friend in the company – hell, probably my best friend anywhere.
‘Summer, what’s happening?’ she asked, a startled look on her pretty, heart-shaped face.
‘Company cost-cutting,’ I told her, ‘and the cost they’ve decided to cut is me.’
‘But that’s just awful. You’ve been here – what, five years? Whatever happened to last in, first out?’
I shrugged. That might have been an effective policy, if it hadn’t been for the fact almost all of the people who’d joined the department after me had already been promoted at least a grade higher. When I’d started here, I’d been at the bottom of the pile, and even after all this time, though I’d never intended it, that’s where I’d managed to stay.
Delia laid her slender fingers over mine, and gave them a reassuring squeeze, letting me know everything would be OK, even if it didn’t feel like it right now. ‘What will you do?’ she asked.
I hadn’t even thought about it. ‘I don’t know. Go home. Cry. Punch the wall. Play Bon Jovi so loud the neighbours complain.’
‘Well, at least you haven’t lost your sense of humour, honey.’ Delia grinned. She glanced round the floor. The initial excitement over, people were beginning to return to their work. ‘Tell you what, when the dust’s settled, we’ll all go out and have a few drinks. Kind of like a belated leaving party. What do you say?’
‘Maybe.’ Apart from Delia, I didn’t want to see any of my co-workers again once I walked out of here for good, not even to take a last, fond peek at Calvin’s ass. Not able to bring myself to tell her that, I finished my packing.
The last of my things stowed in the cardboard box, I made to log off my computer, but Tim shook his head, warning me not to touch it. Instead, I gave Delia a quick hug, promising her I’d ring her very soon, and made my way to the elevator.
Tim and I rode down 32 floors in silence. It seemed like he didn’t quite know what to say to me, and I wondered whether I was the first employee he’d ever had to escort from the premises. The way Rebecca had been talking, I guessed if sales of the Reporter didn’t pick up soon, I wouldn’t be the last. God help the guy if he ever needed to make sure the likes of big, athletic Calvin left the building without making a scene.
Only when we were outside on the sidewalk, my company identity pass clutched securely
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