Monday, March 10, 2008

A saga with no ending

Bad news, kids: I'm writing this post directly into Blogger. That means my illustrious co-worker is not here, allowing me to blog openly without having to copy and paste from Word. The bad news part is that I'm going to be able to do this for the forseeable future; ICW has been canned.

I know, I'm as torn up about it as you are, and I'm making every effort to avoid having this sound even the least bit sarcastic in writing. She didn't need this right now. You are all aware of the shit she's been going through, well, her whole life, and it kills me to see her take another hit like this. Actually, one of my first thoughts upon hearing the news (they waited until Friday evening to tell her by phone) was that I kind of wish it had been me instead. Now, when the higher-ups decided to cut a position and passed the call down to my boss, I was the absolute last one of the three people in this position she was going to fire. To be honest, I'm smarter, more productive, and show up on time every day. The problem is (and they really should know this) I'm too good for this job. I will be leaving, hopefully sooner rather than later. They fired the wrong person. ICW was very happy to have a good, steady job like this and was planning on keeping it for as long as she could. I couldn't give a shit about this job (though the people really are nice and I appreciate the opportunity to earn a paycheck). I'm planning on leaving as soon as I can anyway, and yet she gets the axe. Now that I think of it that way, I feel like I stole her job from her and I'm just going to throw it away.

Oh well. It wasn't my decision, but really they should have booted the most (read: way over) qualified person and kept the one who is interested in making this a long-term situation.

She'll be okay, though. She's working another job as a tax preparer right now and her dad's been living with her, so she's not alone. I'm disappointed, though, that I won't get to keep hearing each daily installment of the continuing saga of ICW and sharing it here. It's too quiet in this office right now. Her phone isn't even ringing. I'll have to give her a call and keep in touch via e-mail, or something. I'd volunteer to take her the stuff from her desk, but I rode my bike today.

Damn.

22 comments:

Unknown said...

a firing by phone??? damn, thats harsh.

shelleycoughlin said...

Yeah, seriously. They couldn't even fire her in person? I'm outraged on her behalf. I suppose we can all keep up with her via her blog, but it's just not the same as hearing it from you.

Allie said...

Wait, she has a blog? How did I miss that? Are you joking, NPW?

Firing by phone is such a wuss way to go. And not a good move. I remember from my PR classes that disgruntled employees generate a large percentage of negative news stories on companies. Not that ICW spent her morning on the phone with your local news or anything . . . Just that it's in the best interest of everyone to handle things better than that.

Don't let your survivor's guilt get the best of you.

Anonymous said...

That is 100% lame. It's strange, being overqualified for a job. Getting yourself motivated every day to do something that's no longer challenging.

Meaghan said...

That REALLY sucks! I mean, you shouldn't have been fired, either, because you were actually doing your job and doing it well. But I hate that she was canned. What ever will we do without the stories!

Anonymous said...

This makes me feel sad, which is weird since I have never met either of you. But it points out a lot of injustices and flaws in the system.

I really hate that they fired her by phone. Of all the shitlame things to do...

J-Money said...

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FERRETS?!

Don't they know that we need to know whether or not the ferrets were renamed?!

Seriously, as someone who's been fired from every job she's ever had (save for the Japanese steakhouse), being let go by phone is just about the worstest thing ever.

Also, I like how on the inside you're really nice. Like a Cadbury egg full of fondant creme and kindness.

Mickey said...

survivingmyself- Indeed.

npw- Yeah, I'm not sure what I'm going to write about now. My own life? I'll have to tell her to keep up her blog for us.

allie-It's not survivor's guilt, I just honestly think it would have been better for all involved if they had fired me instead. And here's the post about her blog. Don't leave any comments on it least they lead back to me.
http://theprettiestdennyswaitress.blogspot.com/2007/11/im-going-straight-to-hell.html

noelle- I've never been under-qualified for a job I've held, yet I've still managed to be just barely competent at most of them.

meaghan- Yup, the Waitress is gonna be hurtin' for stories.

em- Shitlame. Good word and so true.

j-money- I know, it's a cliffhanger! Not the nice clean wrap-up I was shooting for for my novelization. And yes, I'm all talk and complete softie on the inside.

Courtney said...

I know I'm biased here, but the worst part to me is that ICW won't see you every day anymore. She probably appreciated your support and honesty, and it was likely good for her to have some voice of reason in her life.

It's so kind of you to think only of her well-being. Tack on another reason why I love you.

Jacob said...

Have you ever, in one of your weaker moments, wondered if they really know that despite your qualifications, they look in your eyes and see that you're not going anywhere, that eventually you'll settle, get pudgy, and be proud of your middle management promotion without ever leaving that building?

Sid said...

I'm always waiting for the day when my boss will discover that I know nothing and need to be fired. One of the reasons I've never brought along any personal belongings to the office.

Mickey said...

courtney- That's sweet.

jacob- That's depressing. I don't think I have pudgy in me.

sid- The only personal belongings here that I don't take home in a shopping bag every day are a box of tissues and a small bottle of hand lotion. I'm ready to go at all times.

Anonymous said...

Yes but now you get to blog in the open, and everything else in life shouldn't matter.

Aaron said...

Hmm. That is, as I like to say, crap. For a variety of reasons, from the injustice of her firing, to the lack of good blog material, to the fact that you are grossly overqualified for a crappy job.

I recommend unemployment.

Chris said...

It really is pathetic. Come on, what's the turnover rate like in that place? Like they couldn't afford to wait another six weeks or so until someone left voluntarily and then just not fill the position? Cause the $11 an hour she was making (wild guess here) was just breaking the company's back? Give me a break.

On a less sympathetic note: God help the people whose taxes she files.

Allie said...

That made my brain hurt.

Mickey said...

winter- I pretty much spent my workdays blogging anyway. She just didn't catch on.

aaron- I know unemployment all too well. I could say more, but it's kind of embarassing. Maybe it'll be a blog post.

chris- My thoughts exactly. It's just business, but I'm sure the monthly expenditure for paper towels is more than they paid her.

allie- Sounds like you've been doing some blog reading (if you can call it that.)

The Modern Gal said...

Coming into your blog only lately, I feel like I barely knew ICW, and yet I'm gonna miss her so much.

ck said...

so i took the time to go to your old post that had the link to ICW's blog. it was weird. even stranger, the wigshop was in her blog roll. watch out, mickey! the blogosphere is smaller than you think.
btw, we were in the same list as "precious moments" and "women of death row"- illustrious company, i know.

Traveling Em said...

Poor ICW. I'll miss the glimpses into her life via this blog.

Mickey said...

modern gal- We're all going to miss her, for sure.

ck- Oh shit! She's actually the one who found the Wigshop for me, but I haven't seen her reading it since. See? She brought us together!

travelingem- Yeah, I have no clue what I'm going to write about now.

Julie said...

Keeping in mind that I don't know whether she was downsized or fired for "she's a bad employee reasons," I'm going to say the following although I hate to sound like a calloused jerk (even though you all know that I am one).

So here goes: it's probably for the best that you work for a company willing to fire an employee.

My current employer loathes confrontation and has gone out of his way to annoy me and make me miserable all in the name of avoiding confrontation with three employees that were abusing the system.

Dear Employer,
Grow a pair. Being a manager means having tough conversations with people and making tough decisions.

And don't worry. I believe ICW is kinda like a mythological creature. When you cut off one head, two grow back in it's place. The new heads probably will be more jerk, less genuine, but I'm sure they will make for great stories.