A door is opening

I find myself in an unusual situation, one I have not faced for 30 years.

Monday when I went to work at noon and before I could even take off my coat I was called into the office. My manager said, "Can we talk for a minute?"

In the space of a few seconds I learned I was being dismissed from my job--or the more correct terminology, my position was eliminated. I had no idea this was coming. Just a --thud--

As it turns out, I was not the only one. Six other fellow employees lost their jobs as well. When asked when this started, I was told it is effective today.

My store manager told me she did not want to have this conversation with me and that this development has absolutely nothing to do with any possible dissatisfaction with my job performance. I actually thought my manager was going to cry when she told me.

It appears this is a corporation-wide move. What happened to the seven of us happened in every single Barnes and Noble across the country.

Thankfully, Barnes and Noble is giving us a severance package based on the duration of our employment at the store. This does buy me some time to be a little choosey for which job I search.

What does this mean for our corporation? Not good, I suspect. Basically, this move eliminated nearly 90 years of job experience between the seven of us--and that was in our store alone. Multiply that corporate-wide and the losses are staggering.

Am I upset? I did not leave the store Monday afternoon with animosity toward the store management. I am not angry. I think it safe to say I was in shock. None of us, not even store management saw this coming.

I would, however, be a liar if I did not say I am sad. And I worry about the future of Barnes and Noble.

I think it no secret among my closest friends that I have been dissatisfied with the work at the store for quite some time now--and this had nothing to do with the store itself, but more to the fact that I have never entirely enjoyed working retail. 

I had been looking elsewhere, but not aggressively. If I saw a position that interested me, I applied for it, and I had been very selective in what positions I was looking at, I mean, why take a job if I would not be happy? Now that my situation has changed I am sure this will work out for the best, but... 

I would have preferred my departure be on my terms. So now it appears I am going to have to step up my game.

Earlier today after running some errands I went to the store, the first time since being let go. I look at this way. I was a loyal custom before I started working at Barnes and Noble in 2009, and I cannot imagine not being one now.

While there I got to see my friends and the managers whom I have come to call my family these past eight years. There were hugs, there were tears and there were some laughs too. 

One of my managers cried after we hugged and she said they are all feeling a bit of survivor's guilt. I already knew that. I had had a couple of conversations with my in-store friends who all said the mood in the store was pretty somber. I understand. I sure don't want them to be too sad. After all, life does go on. 

Anyone who knows me has heard me say this: "this too, shall pass, and I do firmly believe that.

I have always said it is hard to find a job when you have a job and I also believe everything happens for a reason... So I wonder if a door is not opening for me. Let's find out. Here we go!

But I do flippantly have to say (although I am serious), "Thanks, Donald."