I had been working at a call center as a fundraiser for the past two and a half months primarily to save up for university and to pay off my debt incurred throughout the past couple months away in Toronto. The fact that I was calling on behalf of NGO's was a total plus, not to mention, the great people I work with that makes our work that much bearable.
I was hanging out with my friend and coworker, Serge, before my shift yesterday. We were given off two days this week which was weird as just last week, they had asked us all to do more hours. I always wore the trophy for the most hours in a week. Either way, it was really weird. The day before yest, my supervisor called me to inform me that it was time for me to come back to work the next day, a full 8 hour day, and he specifically told me not to be late. I was on the metro with Serge, and he was reading the newspaper. He got to the end and read my horoscope, "Your love interest will have a positive impact on your life. You will always find a way out of your financial woes", it read under Gemini. Interesting, I thought. I got off at Place D'Armes Metro, got myself a smoothie and a muffin to get me through the first shift and was off to work. I was excited to get on the phone and make some pledges as I had been off for three consecutive days and I had missed the company of my coworkers. I walked in, scanned my badge and walked over to the back where the Fundraising section was. Denis told me that Bre, our manager, wanted to speak with me. Odd, I thought, I just walked in.
"I might as well put my things down by a computer", I said as I walked over and put my things down. Denis looked at me in disapproval but, I didn't think anything of it. Bre came back with a piece of paper and lead me to the HR office. Am I getting a raise? I thought, since my probation was almost over. I sat down in the chair and she broke the news to me that I was being laid off. I had not even seen this coming. I was balling my eyes out like a girl who had just gotten her heart broken. I could not stop sobbing. I handed her my badge and after twenty minutes, I ranked up the courage to go back to my desk and collect my things. I gave everyone a hug. And I went to give Denis a hug even though he insisted on shaking my hand. Imane walked me out and said she'd call me that night.
I got into the elevator and couldn't stop the flow of tears. Why had they specifically asked me to come in early to work today, and to work the entire day, if they knew they were going to fire me? That was mean of them. It was. Despite the legalities involved, they could've made the blow a bit softer. It's not personal, they said, it's business. Why is it that business is never personal when you spend the most of your time working for these people, getting them the results they want and getting them their reputation and when they don't need you, they say "it's not personal".
Business is not personal. Capitalism is not personal.
This morning, I woke up, still a bit upset from the events of the day before and the first thing on my newsfeed was "Compassion will heal the world". My thoughts are still a mess but I knew that there was somehow a connection between what I read and the events of the day
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