Sophia Home Now Thangs Gwan Change Around Heah

Friday 9/21/07 was the last day for those being laid off at my company. It was a very strange day. It was sort of quiet most of the day. I think most people didn't know what to say exactly. Each person being laid off had an exit interview set for different times. Unlike the notification that they were loosing their jobs occurred.

The 1st appointment was at 8:30am. Turns out it's really not an interview like most employees would receive when they leave our company. In this "interview" they were explained their packages one more time and then asked to turn over their laptops, company credit cards, and badge. The only question asked was "Is there anything that you'd like to say?" From what I understand most people had nothing to say.

The strange thing about all of this is when told they were being laid off, hired security was on the premises. This day none were present. Seems to me this would have been the time to have it since most had plenty of time to think about what was happening to them. It was a very sad day. There was a lot of hugging and some crying. My manager was hiding in her office most of the day and left early for the weekend. What a coward.

All that were left in our area after 2pm was me and the Indians. It's funny because before today I never heard them speaking in their native language so much. The murmur of them and the smell of their un-deodorized bodies buzzed through my head the rest of the afternoon as I tried to concentrate on my work. I only lasted a couple more hours before I called it a day. I walked out in silence, unlike my normal exit for the weekend bidding my co-workers a good weekend. My co-workers of varied length, 7, 8, 10, 13, 18 and 21 years were already gone.

As I drove home I couldn't help but reflect on the day watching in disgust the Indian woman relentlessly gourging more information out of the woman whose job she was taking. Even while other employees from other floors came to bid my co-worker farewell. While watching my co-worker shed tears the indian woman sat there stoic and stedfast in her mission to increase her knowledge a little bit further.

Earlier in the day an hour before my co-workers exit interview, I told her that she need not give this woman any more information. It was insensitive of her to continue to ask for her time on such an emotional day. My co-worker finally told her that she had had enough.

Next week I feel like I'll be starting work at a new company. One with the smell of dried hot funk, emotionless stares, and the sound of an unintelligible language buzzing in my head all day.

Next week things will be changed. Sophia's home now.