Wasting time with Jet

What could possibly be a buzzkill of going on a First Date with someone?

How about knowing the exact day of your termination?

Yep, that day has been finalized. Everyone was warned. March 22nd, 80% of the Workload goes to Chase, completing the Merger we've been hearing so much about.

Thursday night we had another meeting around 10:30pm. All the staff was called around as a representative from HR broke it down for us. He said he'd meet with certain individuals alone so there would be no embarrassments. You'd be given an Envelope with a letter that informs you when your "Release Date" is. (Like I'm a fuckin' Music Album or Box Office Picture or something...)

So the meeting ended and The Chief started making his rounds, whispering to people one by one...They's walk to an empty cubicle in the back of the office somewhere and go back to their station and resume their work.

Some discretion, I felt like I was waiting to be called to the damn Principal's office in High School.

Thankfully, I wasn't the FIRST one called up, but unfortunately I wasn't the THIRD, either (I was the second).

I walked back there and rep just looked at me with a disappointed glance.

"Here you go, Les...I'm Sorry."

I shrugged and sighed, "It's Okay." I said flatly.

He seemed surprised by my nonchalant response..."Okay?" he asked.

I nodded, "Hey...One morning Chevy Chase woke up...and he jus wasn't Funny Anymore." The Rep and the Chief exchanged puzzled looks as I pocketed the envelope, turned around and left like I was never really there.

Before I continue, I must admit, that line is not mine...Like most of my witty remarks, I heard it from TV (or Movies)...in this case, an episode of "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip", It's a real good show, jus on at a bad timeslot.

Aside from the 3 MAIN Supervisors (Victor, Sandra, and Caroline) and maybe 2 or 3 others...EVERYONE else eventually took that walk to the back of the office.

Most of the elder, Paper-Pushers and Batch Preparers took it okay, of course they were probably MONTHS before retiring in the first place!

One of the Jovial office clowns took it okay and was asking around to see who got what date...from what I overheard, it was either a date in Late April or Late May, depending on what you did or how long you were there.

I couldn't help to notice, that my co-worker "Pharell" DID NOT get called.

Lotta people were really screw-faced and red-eyed on the verge of tears, but whadda gonna do? This was in the cards, it was going to happen...They practially told me the minute I GOT here! But what boggles my mind is WHY the fuck would HR go OUT of their way to hire someone, JUST to fire them in at least 6 months? Why couldn't they jus promote someone in house to help skinny boy scan these checks? That crazy chick, HOUNDED me for weeks, playing phone tag and asking every other day would I accept certain hours before setting up that interview and FOR WHAT!? FOR THIS!?!?

I tried not to think about it the whole night...I had other worries (at that time), Mom had said a big storm was coming by 1am, I had this breakfast date coming up when I was FINALLY going to meet "Leeloo", I couldn't afford to be distracted (and for the record, I wasn't.)

At 1:15am, I took my break and went up the 16th Floor Cafeteria...I walked all the way to the back where there was view facing uptown. The city seems so peaceful at night, City Hall to the right, the Empire State Building in the middle, the West Side Highway, Hudson and New Jersey to the left. I was going to miss this job, it jus was too good to last. I didn't even stay long to take pictures everywhere...

Mom had joked, every job where I take pictures at, I get fired or I quit or it jus ends...I need to STOP taking pictures!

Technically, I had believed I couldn't even sneak a camera in here...we're so close to Ground Zero, I had a feeling it would be a security risk and guards would come outta nowhere and make me disappear...I'd see what I can do, they already letting me go, what's the worst that can happen?

Luckily, the city was still Storm-Free...mom and the weather people had got it wrong again...at 1:30am, I went back downstairs, leaving the cityscape view for another night.

Everything was finished by a little after 3am, there didn't seem to be anything extra to do to look busy, so by 3:30, I threw on my coat and made my out of the office. There were a few shocked faces, people were expected to leave on the hour, but my dedication was tossed out the window the minute I received that Envelope, when I'm done...I'm Done, FUCK waiting till 4am.

Right before I left, "Pharell" called me and stepped up...

"Hey, man...I jus wanna say..."

I stopped him right there...

"You know what the Floormat at the Entrance to HELL says, son?" I interrupted.

He gave me a funny look? and said "No?, what?"

"It says, "Shit Happens.", you have a nice weekend, I have a date with an angel."

He laugh and said...

"That's what I like about you man, you always have something cool to say."

I should of waited till 4am, because I had jus missed the 3:20 1 Train that would have gotten me home around 4...the next one didn't even arrive till 4am so it was a waste.

Eventually, I did get home and ya'll know the rest of the story from there...

Fast-Forward to a little after midnight, Saturday morning (or Today, technically...) the Envelope still in my hand...I finally take a deep breath and open it.

"Dear, Mister Yadda-yadda...we notified you about Staff Reductions...blah, blah, blah...Your release date has been determined...and that date will be...

Drumroll Please,

"April 27, 2007"

Whoomp! There it Is.

how nice of them to give me a month after the change over...I'll probably won't have little or nothing to do, I'm sure the kid could handle everything on his own from then on, they'll probably re-assignment to do something else.

I decided not to do no interviews or anything till march, take this month off to marinate, soak up life as I know it right now and appreciate it...whatever happens, I'll be okay.

The best thing to do is keep my Game Face on, never let'em see you sweat...