15 October 2005

I just got here, how could things be so wretched??

I keep trying to tell myself I am not outdated, out of place, and not worthless as a contributing member of society, but frankly, the fine young woman I met this afternoon is making that positive self-talk rather hard to keep on with!

I never had the dreaded 'Cinderella Syndrome', however, I never had the equally dreaded "Burn Those Bras, Sisters!!" mentality, either (thank-you God in your glorious Heaven). I thought the '60's were about freedom of choice, not "My way or the hi-way", I mean, please!

Since when did being a good, loving, and nurturing person become so outre? About the same time common decency became quite politically incorrect, I suspect.

You see, today I was lured into yet another temp agency pretending to be a real job, and it was not pretty. Down right ugly, as they say back in Alabama, where, since I know there is a God, Who is in charge (miss ya Jim), I will never have to go back to save to retrieve my things from the storage units hastily loaded as I made my escape.

She was pleasantly rude as she patronized my administrative assistant skills-especially after she goaded me into saying that I like to nurture genius-and focused completely on MS Office 2000 test results (that I personally am sure she rigged, since I know 2000 almost as well as 2003 and that damned computer kept scoring me as 'incorrect' when I knew I was right); she condescended horribly when I told her I could test alot better on a less abused computer running WXP/Office 2003. Ya know, I don't think I have the energy to work for a company that doesn't have the latest software yet expects ME to cover their needs while being condescended to. What an ass the young woman was; she dared to tell me that she was not interested in the fact that I mentioned in my cover letter that I'd raised a family to adulthood. She said, "I don't need to know about your sons." Funny, I only I have one son, not that I mentioned anything beyond having raised a family to adulthood-meaning I wouldn't have those pesky child care issues... (Is here where I need to assert that working outside the home Moms are A1 in my book, and they deserve every bit of accommodation possible in the modern workplace?)

In fact, now that I think about it, she snorted when I used the word 'nurture', and asked what the word meant.

I made my escape from a job I took in desperation (after - 1-my husband of 18 years stranded me after using a durable power of attorney I'd frankly forgot about to strip me of bank and savings account, trustworthy car, etc., and dimped his dog on me; and 2 -our darling then 16 year old son (AKA Fox) preceded to trash the rental house, cost me what little alimony I was able to get in food-housing-rehab-bail. And then tell everyone what an absolute bitch I am, and that I spent the child support on parties. HA. First of all, Crusty (AKA The Ex) never paid the child support and threatened to kill me if I went after him. I believed him, you know, I'd lived in terror for over 17 years, I'd seen what Crusty could do. "Just behave and you and the kid can live." The sad part is that Crusty was from a 'good home', had graduated with honours, and had always kept a job. Second of all, telling me that I am "too nice" does not in any way excuse pulling my wings off. And third-I don't party.

The job was great-not. Suffice it to say, I had to quit to get a day off, and that is no joke. I worked as a resident property manager for three years and ten months every single day of the year, no break, no zip. I would petition for a holiday, be told, "Oh, yeah, great, sure." I would watch my boss put the requested dates in the date book. Later they would come up with reasons as to why my holiday would not be possible after all. One year they had the nerve to ask me to cancel mine so that they could go where I had been hoping to go. That was the same year I increased the company net profits so greatly they were able to purchase a motor coach. As they handed me the $20.00 bonus, they said, "Sorry, this is the best we can do." I think they knoew I was planning that holiday to get away and find another job. I was trapped-they had the keys to my apartment, and I worked 45 hours a week in the office-no lunch hour permitted, because I "live there and can eat anytime between customers." Monday through Saturday-when was I going to interview?

They knew my son was a weasel who had spent every penny I had and that he was threatening me the same way Crusty had, they knew my son is the only living person I am related to, and they knew that between Crusty and Fox, I'd been so isolated that I had no friends or support network to turn to. (Hey, how do you join a church community when your son sits in the sanctuary next to you one Sunday and just before the processional, says loudly, "F__K God.")

So, where did I sign-up to be an anachronism?

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Regretfully I've had to update my blog to comment moderation to prevent spamming. LOL, if only the fools knew my blog is seen by a very small and select group-it might help them understand the waste of time it is to spam my blog! Oh well, it's not as though spammers are very bright, after all.