Good morning one and all. Happy President’s day. I hope you ae enjoying this brief patch of sun that seems to have broken through the rain. At least where we live. It won’t last long, but it nice while it is here. So time for the first writing prompt of the week, are you ready? Good then let’s go.
I like the person who has let people use him finally getting fed up. I don’t know if this is the beginning of the story though. I think that I might take elements and stretch them out, then have him leave. Something to think about.
Monday, February 20th: It was difficult to accept.
It was difficult to accept. Still I smiled and shook hands and offered my congratulations. I felt the eyes of the others on me and I buried my feelings, knowing that I was watched. Yet again a person with the right education and right family background was brought in and put with me to train. I worked with the new employee and then when those higher up the corporate food chain felt that they had enough time to gain an understanding of the company, they were promoted.
I was left behind to train the next new hire.
This was the fifth time this happened in the past three years and I was very quickly reaching my breaking point. In fact, I had already started looking about for another job. I know I didn’t have the family background that they wanted. My education came from a less prestigious university. I was not the image they wanted to project.
What stung though was that after I gave them the training they needed I would still be called by the newly promoted to answer questions and help out with things they had yet to know. Things it took more than a grace period with the lower ranks to learn.
I knew that if I voiced any complaint it would simply be me griping about the more privileged. Perhaps I didn’t have the skills and that was why I was passed up. For a long time I thought that. Was told that by those who passed me over. But now, it was time to finally find out if that was true or not. The day before I was called by one of the places where I interviewed. I was offered a position. One whose duties were well within my skill level. I accepted the position and once this party was through, when my direct supervisor called me into his office to tell me how they appreciated me being a team player, I would be handing in my letter of resignation.
The small office party wound down and everyone took their slice of cake back to their desks while my newest former trainee went over to his new office. I retreated to my cubicle with my slice of cake. I set it down on the desk and before I could settle into my seat, the expected call came. I answered it.
“Elliot,” my supervisor said. “If you have a moment before you get back to work could you come to my office?”
“Sure,” I told him. The call ended. Any other call with Raymond Garner was an order. It was only when things like this occurred did he make an effort to use a polite request. I slipped my resignation letter out of my bag and carried it with me to Raymond’s office. As usual he called me in and had me close the door.
“I want to thank you for helping to get Parker up to speed,” he said. “We appreciate what a team player you have been.”
As always I waited for some validation of my effort. A onetime bonus check, even a slight tweak to my title in recognition. But no, there was nothing further. It was just thanks for being a team player.
“I suppose it will be nice for you to get back to normal work,” he said. He smiled. The expression sat strangely on him. Raymond was a man more used to scowls than smiles.
“Actually,” I said. “I wanted to offer you my letter of resignation.” I placed the letter on his desk. “I can use the next two weeks to transfer my projects to other team members or I can leave earlier if you feel it would be more conducive to the office environment.”
Raymond stared at the letter. He blinked as he stared at it. He seemed stunned and uncertain how to react.
“If you could let me know which you’d prefer I would appreciate it,” I said. I turned and walked back to his door. I opened it stepped out of the office and closed it behind me. I took a deep breath and smiled before I walked back to my cubicle.
Ten til Midnight 