I QUIT

“I quit. I’m handing in my resignation” announced Alice.

“You can’t quit! That’s a violation of your contract!” responded the managing director.

“I don’t care! I have been working hard for the past five years and not once has my salary ever been raised”, argued Alice.

Frank got up from his office chair.

“You will lose your benefits”, he warned.

“I know that. But I’m quitting anyway.”

Alice turned her back on her soon to be ex employer and made her way to the door.

“You are making a big mistake, Alice.”

Alice stopped in her tracks for a few seconds then left.

She picked up her things and put them in a box.

Her closest co-workers watched her with worry.

“Alice, are you sure about your decision?” Helen asked.

“Yes, Helen. I am. I should have done it sooner”, replied Alice.

“Listen Alice. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask”, said Mr. Finch.

“Thanks Mr. Finch. I’m going to miss you all.”

“I told myself I wouldn’t cry”, cried Linda from accounting.

Linda was one of my best friends. Alice couldn’t understand why she was crying because they were going to meet up on the weekend.

After clearing things up with HR, Alice went home. It felt strange being home early and knowing that I didn’t have a job to go to the next day.

However, she did not stay long in my apartment.

After, spending a good twenty minutes with Fiona (Fifi) my two year old Pomeranian, Alice got changed into her casual wear, a vibrant flower print blouse, a nice pair of cream white cardigan and a pair laid back flats.

She left her house, rode a taxi to down town.

Alice visited the clothing stores she hadn’t visited in a long time. It was quite refreshing for her to try on the latest fashion trends. She bought a few items that she liked.

Next was hair and makeup. Alice popped up at her regular saloon. Tracy her hairstylist was excited to see her. Lucky for Alice, Tracy had no customers that afternoon. Alice was pampered and was even given a discount.

To sum up her day, Alice had dinner at a fancy restaurant that she had been admiring for months. The bill was on the expensive side but she content. The starter was nothing compared to main course and dessert.

She finally went home around 08.30, checked her phone for any missed calls or messages while watching television with Fifi.

She went to sleep around ten and woke up around 11.

It was a treat waking up and not being late for anything. The day flew past and Alice was still taking it easy.

The next day Alice took her Fiona to her dog groomer and visited the park.

By the time it was the weekend, Alice nearly forgot that her best friend Linda was coming over.

“Hi, sweetie. Guess whose here!” greeted Linda.

Alice was still in her bed clothes when she opened the door.

“Linda…You are here.”

“Don’t tell me you forgot I was coming over”, said Linda.

Alice giggled nervously and invited her friend in.

After a quick change of clothes, making a scrumptious brunch of eggs, crispy bacon and waffles, the girls sat down in the living room drinking hot coffee and exchanging stories. Linda did most of the talking and finally hit the hot topic Alice was avoiding to face.

“What are you going to do about rent?” asked Linda.

“I’m good for a three months I think”, responded Alice.

“But what will happen after that? Didn’t you tell me your landlady was a no nonsense woman?”

“Mrs. Lee is tough landlady…”

“Alice, we are living in fast paced life. You need to find a job and fast. I thought you went through all of this when you resigned.”

Linda finished her coffee and sat up straight in her sofa.

“I know Linda. I will get to it. But I want to have as much fun as I can. Besides how come you are the one giving me sensible advice?”

“You right. Normally you are the one talking me out of bad ideas but it seems like we switched today”, responded Linda.

The two friends laughed at that realization and continued chatting.

It took another week before Alice begun her job hunt. Even though Alice had enough money to cover three months’ rent, Mrs. Lee would be very sensitive about her not having a job.

Alice’s specialised in business administration and was very good at it. However, the job market was flooded with fierce completion and Alice needed help.

After sending out her resume to several companies and NGO’s, Alice sent an S.O.S to her friends. One of them happened to be an HR manager at big corporation.

“Let me get this straight. You quit your job without finding a job to land on?” Elise asked on the phone.

“I had to do it. There tell-tell signs that I was going nowhere”, defended Alice.

“Well, it’s better that the divorce settlement I had last year”, responded Elise.

“You’re divorced?”

“Another topic, sweetie. Why don’t you send me your resume? I will text you my email address and see what I can do”, Elise suggested.

After receiving Elise’s text, Alice sent her resume.

A month later, Alice had a virtual interview with a Pharmaceutical company. It didn’t go very well.

That was her fourth job interview and she was running out of time.

Out of the blue, her cousin Daisy called and reminded her of the final wedding preparations.

“Don’t tell me you forgot the wedding day, Alice.”

“I’m sorry Daisy. I have a lot going on but I promise I’ll be there”, responded Alice.

“I will be waiting Alice. See you this Thursday.”

Three days later, Alice found herself in Miami. The stark difference between Springfield and Miami was palpable. Alice felt like a lost tourist. When she got to the beach front hotel, her family received her like a lost puppy. Her aunts, her mother, her other cousins and a few of her friends all smothered her compliments.

“Um, where is the Bride?” Alice asked.

“She is at the spa getting a facial and foot massage. Daisy’s been so stressed about the wedding these past few weeks. It’s a shame you missed the unveiling of the wedding dress”, explained Alice’s mother.

“Anyway, you are here. We can finally get ready for the wedding this weekend”, said her aunt cheerfully.

The next two days were busy and frightful. Daisy nearly made a run for it but her aunts and cousins made sure that did not happen. Over the weekend, the entourage made their way to the beach where they met the rest of the family and the bridegroom’s family also.

It was a solemn and yet romantic ceremony. Alice was glad she didn’t have to miss any of it.

The reception took place at the hotel but Alice could not stay.

She had a job interview in DC.

“You are leaving?” asked her cousin surprised.

“Yes. The interview will be on Monday but if I take the evening flight I’ll have time to get ready.”

“Tell Tony I’m sorry for missing the reception”, apologized Alice.

“Oh, well. Good luck”, Daisy said. “Tell me how it goes?”

Alice quickly changed her clothes and packed. She got a taxi to the airport and made it in time for her flight to Washington. It was a long flight but it gave her time to rest.

By the time she got to her destination, she had bags underneath her tired eyes. Instead of a hotel she was staying at her an old college mate’s house Tiffany. It really was her parent’s house but at the moment they were visiting relatives in Vermont.

Alice started prepping herself. Thanks to Elise, she landed another interview at a major telecoms corporation.

It was Monday. The sheer size of the office block was intimidating enough.

“Come on Alice. You need to be brave”, Alice told herself.

Alice marched into the lobby and introduced herself to the receptionist who gave her a visitors pass, a ticket and directions to one of the company’s conference halls.

After getting lost several times, Alice finally made it to the right conference hall, where she met other candidates for the same position.

They were of a hundred and her intimidation mutated in size. Apparently the interviews were taking place in the CEO’s office on the floor above. Each candidate was being called out according to the number on their ticket.

It half-passed three when it was Alice’s turn. The little enthusiasm that she kept and taken flight. She was exhausted.

There was panel of six individuals in front of her. Aside from the CEO, the rest were heads of departments.

Alice blinked and the next half hour felt like a dream that never happened.

“Did she really talk to these people?”

After being interviewed, she left and filled out a survey at the reception desk and went back to Tiffany’s house.

Two months passed and Alice was at her wits end.

After Mrs. Lee found out that Alice had no job, she unsympathetically gave her an ultimatum. Alice’s parents were ready to welcome back their daughter into their house in Illinois.

On the day of departure, Linda came to see her friend off.

“I’m going to miss you, Alice.”

“You know where to find me.”

“Do I?” humoured Linda.

Suddenly, Alice’s phone buzzed.

“Who could this be now?” wondered Alice.

A few minutes later, Alice calmly put her phone in her purse and sat on the side walk.

“Alice? What is it?” asked Linda.

“Remember that Washington DC interview I told you about?”

“Yes, the one you can’t remember the details?”

“I got the job.”

The end.