On a Friday morning almost five years ago.

My colleague and I were sitting in the office anticipating no evil when we noticed them coming. Two black clouds in the shape of our regional manger and our financial director. The latter only set himself in motion when there were real problems. We therefore ducked and awaited what was to come about.

Both sat down on the opposite side of my desk. For ten years I had been the one in charge. They made me recognise they had to deliver bad news: the board had decided a few days beforehand to close our office down. At first we were speechless, then hot then cold then came the questions, why, how come, for what reason? The directors esteemed the situation as not being so good after all (whereby years before we had pleaded for a different location), yes and the turnover was not high enough – we had to achieve a minimum sales volume per head and anyway they had deliberated long enough over the issue and had come to the only possible final stipulation – to CLOSE DOWN!!!!

“And when?” – “In a week, on April 1st exactly. – “This has got to be a joke?” my colleague reiterated, “and what will happen to us if we are transferred to other offices – where shall we go to?” – “No, this is the main reason why we came personally. We have to dismiss both of you!” Immediately the pushed the dismissal in written form over the table. We were utterly amazed and bewildered.
After this there were long explanations from the directors and counter arguments from our side which brought us nowhere apart from granting time for us to take in the news. Another cherry was put on the cake when they told us the official holidays would be taken into account and therefore I had only 2.5 days to work – to Wednesday till 12.00. However, and then it came; we would not be allowed to be in the office alone any more. A colleague from the Belgian head office, whom we already knew, would be with us immediately.

The managers took their leave while we were trying to vent our anger, frustration and fear of the future. You can imagine what kind of weekend we had.

On Monday, as usual, I was in the office with the other colleague looking over my shoulder, or at least this is how I felt it. Although she tried to explain the situation to me, it was not at all easy to work. Then Wednesday came. Shortly before the end, an acquaintance wanted some advice. I noticed it was almost 12.00 and had great pleasure in advising him according to all the rules of the art. Finally I was able to book a holiday for him just as he had wished it. On taking leave of him I could do no other than tell him he was my last client for whom I had had the pleasure of having done an hour’s overtime and that the office would be closed immediately. For this deed my colleague praised me, which I could have done without but at least I was able to leave the office with my head held high and in an attempt to put together the pieces which this dismissal had shattered.
ANNABELLE (Luxembourg)