The Last Day

(NOTE: I'm posting this on the heels of a more interesting post, so don't forget to read that one).

I showed up to my last day of work an hour late, having been up (blogging this) until an ungodly hour of the morning. It actually seemed to be okay... I'd already used all my vacation time, so they might take money out of my final paycheck, but I don't mind.

I was, shall we say, distracted. And no, it wasn't because I was hungover or tired. Heck, it wasn't really even because it was my last day. I was distracted because I kept drifting off into daydream territory trying to relive and piece together the night before. Have you ever had something hot happen to you that you just can't shake out of your brain for a couple of days? That's what I was experiencing.

Some of my coworkers clearly cared more than others about my impending absence. The terrific fellows I've been lunching with for the last couple of months have let me know that they'll miss me. My break buddy told me he doesn't know how much longer he'll be able to last at the job without me around to keep things interesting. My buddy Ben (the pudding guy) who works on another floor came to visit my desk and bought me a Cherry Coke. A couple of other coworkers didn't even say the word "goodbye" to me at any point during the day. Oh well. I guess you can't be friends with everyone.

I didn't have a hangover when I got to work, but somehow I ended up with one as sort of a delayed reaction around noon. That was unpleasant.

I had emailed all the people I knew at work the day before to tell them I'd be going to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch at 1:00pm, and they were welcome to tag along if they were available. It ended up being me, my boss, and a handful of people from my department. The service was incredibly slow, and we ended up being out almost 40-minutes past our lunch break, but my boss said not to worry about it since it was my last day.

I guess I got my going-away party after all.

Near the end of the day, my coworkers surprised me at my desk with a bouquet of pink and orange roses, a card, and a massive chocolate cupcake from the Hershey's store (which I ate in two sittings and was DELICIOUS). I didn't read the card because I didn't want to get emotional (or worse, NOT get emotional and have them all be disappointed that I wasn't moved by the long, sentimental messages that they'd written).


(me with the coworker who brought me flowers last Tuesday)

Clearing out my desk was the strangest part of the day. All the little meaningless things that I've kept to make my desk more interesting seemed so inconsequential. Even the things that I decided to take with me probably won't make it to Florida. I need to minimize. I don't need to bring a solicitous card that talks to you about insurance when you open it... but damn, it was funny for all those months at work.

It was strange not having work today. It was a Monday, and I was home, not having to use vacation or call in sick. It wasn't a holiday. I had no one to answer to.

I'm not technically unemployed yet, as I still have a few possible performances of Tony n' Tina's Wedding... But I might as well be. (That job, while hard work, doesn't feel like a job.)

I've been at my job since December 2006. I can't tell you how bizarre it is to not work there anymore. I don't think it has fully hit me yet. I'll let you know when it does...


May you find closure in saying goodbyes.

~A~