Little Blessings in Disguise

I couldn’t just leave. It took me four months to regain my strength and return to work after being in the hospital. My job did me a favor…one I couldn’t see at the time. I’d been out of work just over four months and NY State law requires an employer to keep a job available for someone who is out on disability, but they are not required to keep the job you held when you left.

When I went back to work I thought I was returning to my accounting position. I loved my job. I’m great with numbers and it was a field I knew I exceled at. To say I was pissed and hurt when they put me in a reception position would be an understatement. Turns out it was a blessing in disguise.

For the next few months I sat out at the desk greeting the occasional guest. I’d be lucky if I saw one or two people a day. I worked for a bank at the time, but I worked in the back offices. The job was so boring even the VP of Human Resources would bring me out her magazines when she was done. I did utilize my time with writing. I could write two or three stories a week for Modern Romance, True Confession and True Romance.

My income from writing began to pick up. A few years prior to this I’d opened a post office box because I had a magazine that I published at the time. So I started having my contracts and checks delivered to the PO Box. I opened a secret savings account and deposited money in there every chance I got. I had twenty dollars direct deposited from my paycheck every week too. Even though the ex demanded all my money he didn’t request my pay stub…something that saved me.

Around April 2001 I really had enough of the boring job. Even with the given time to write it wasn’t enough. I needed more. My cousin had just landed a job with an up and coming telecommunications company. She told me I could make a ton of money if I wanted a job. I went on an interview and got an offer. The also offered me 10k more than I was making at the time. This excited me. So after five years at the bank I left.

Within weeks of landing the job I’d refinanced my car loan to a much lower rate…the ex had ruined our credit. The car was now in my name alone; another blessing. We were a one car family. Things were looking up.

Tomorrow I’ll talk about the day I finally left.