Yesterday I went to a baby shower for a friend, a former coworker. I am very happy for her, not for the usual reasons of the new baby. I’m very happy for her because her life was turned upside down a few years ago.
And it was not her fault.
She’s a cute, bright, outgoing young woman. She enjoyed her job in the marketing department of our long term care management company and she was good at it. Her immediate supervisor was her exact opposite and was intimidated by her.
Others in the company were intimidated by her…others in power.
After ten years, she was fired. Pennsylvania is a “right to work” state, the exact opposite of what you may think it means. She had no recourse. There was no really good reason for her to be fired. She hadn’t done anything against personnel policies. She did her job, maybe did it too well.
People in power did not like her.
The president of the now extinct company still asks about her…she was one of his favorites.
But that didn’t save her when others wanted her gone. Maybe that was the problem.
She was devastated. But life goes on. I know, been there myself.
She moved on to other jobs, a marriage, and soon a baby girl.
I stayed close to her after her firing. Maybe with my daughter 2500 miles away, I was looking at her as a daughter. Maybe I just enjoyed her brain and her joy.
Whatever.
I’m proud of her. I’m proud that we’re still friends. I’m proud that every time I see her mother, she says, “Thank you for be a good friend to my daughter.”
It was easy, Karen. Your daughter’s a good person.
She deserves every happiness.
The extinct company? It deserved to lose her. And she avoided being there for its less than honorable end.
And what have we learned from this story:
Living well is the best revenge.
Mitzi Flyte 