Chapter 09 β Unemployment
After Monday night's adventure, I worked diligently on that presentation on Tuesday. I stayed late and was back at it early on Wednesday morning. It was a good thing too, because first thing Wednesday, my boss called me into his office for a meeting. I knew it was about the presentation and I was glad I was ready for him. As I sat down in front of him, I was surprised that he got up and closed the door behind me.
"What's up," I asked him casually.
"Do you know why I called you in," he asked me.
"I assume it has to do with that presentation I have been working on," I admitted.
"I wish that was it," he relayed. "Unfortunately, that is not why you are here. Something has been brought to my attention."
"What is it," I asked, confused.
"It seems you had a visitor on Monday night," he revealed. "A female visitor."
NO! My eyes widened and my face went blank. How did he get wind of that? I had an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. This was not going to be good.
"I will take your silence as confirmation," he continued. "That kind of activity just doesn't have any place here. You have been a model employee with great performance reviews and I wish there was something I could do. I know you have had it rough since the divorce but we just cannot ignore this incident. The knowledge of it has gone too far up the line."
I was floored. I had a feeling I knew what was coming but I asked anyway.
"What are you saying," I pressed him.
"We are going to have to let you go," he confirmed. "Please clean out your desk and turn in your id badge before leaving."
I hung my head in shame. It took all my strength to lift my ass of out that chair. I returned to my desk and collected my personal effects while my now former boss stood over me, watching. He escorted me to the front door where I gave my id badge to the security guard at the main desk before exiting the building. This was a career and personal low.
I headed home and left my box of crap in the car. I went directly to my room and closed the door. I was disgusted with myself and needed some time alone to think and reflect. It was early enough in the day where no one would be home for a while. I crashed onto my bed and thought about the mess I had made of my life. No wife, no job and I was basically a permanent guest in a house someone else owned. This was not where I pictured I would be at this point in my life. This sucked. At some point during my wallowing, I drifted off to sleep.
I woke to Vivian shaking me violently.
"Are you ok," she asked me frantically.
"Yes, why," I asked.
"You shouldn't be home," she gasped. "It's only 2pm. Why aren't you at work?"
"I got fired," I admitted bluntly, not wanting to postpone or hide the awful news.
"What," Vivian asked in a shocked tone. "What the hell for?"
"Penny paid me a visit at the office the other night," I revealed. "Somehow my boss found out about it."
Vivian did not say a word. She pulled out her cell and began dialing. She stepped out of the room to talk and I sat up on my bed. I cleared my eyes and began to undress, needing more comfortable cloths. I heard parts of Vivian's conversation as she got rather loud in a spot or two. I was about to put my jeans on when Vivian returned.
"Don't do that," she ordered me. "Take a shower and get ready."
"Ready for what," I inquired.
"You have an interview at 5," Vivian informed me.
"Really, where," I wondered aloud.
"Don't worry," she urged me, "I will drive you. Now get in the shower and suit up."
I did as I was told and hopped in the shower. I cleaned myself up and tried to prepare for the interview. I was not sure what the company was or the position, but I needed a job, so I was going to put my best foot forward. I finished up and got in my suit. I threw on my best power tie and arranged myself as best I could. I headed downstairs where Vivian was waiting.
She didn't say anything; she simply nodded and led me out the door. We got in her car and Vivian drove me to my interview. She smiled the entire time we were in the car and when we reached our destination I understood why. She pulled into the parking lot of Leslie and Emma's office. My heart sank as Vivian drove towards the front door. I had a feeling I knew what was about to happen and I did not like it. I knew I had to see this through, even though the game was about to end for me.
"You know where to go," Vivian said as she dropped me at the front door of the building. "They are expecting you."
I exited the car and entered the building, my fate apparently already sealed. I headed right for the office suite I knew, loved and would miss. I walked in and Nikki was seated at her desk. I marched right up to her and she smiled at me pleasantly. It seemed like they were trying to go easy on me.
"How was the honeymoon," I asked politely.
"It was wonderful," she admitted with an almost shy grin. "They have been expecting you."
She pointed to the conference room. I wasted no time making my way into the glass room with the large oval oak table. The table seemed very different this time. Emma, Leslie and Penny were seated at one end and I seated myself very quietly at the other. The game had been reborn in this room several times, so it seemed only fitting that this is where it should die.
"Heard you had a bad day," Emma stated.
"You could say that," I agreed.
"She did say that, what would you say," Leslie snapped at me.
"I would say today was not my finest hour," I admitted, still surprised at her tone.
"How much use do you think you are to this game without a job," Penny asked harshly.
"I'm really not sure," I answered honestly, my confidence cracked. "I actually have no idea."