The Begining of the End

My company is closing in about a month. This has been quite hard for me. I have been here since my move to Joisey in 2000. I have worked with a lot of different people. A lot. I have learned a lot of things here, computer-wise and people wise. I got into a groove. I've been fortunate to have had (mostly) cool supervisors. There were one or two that I didn't quite see eye to eye with, but that's to be expected. I had a lot of great coworkers too. When they closed my department in April a lot of them were stunned. A couple cried.  They got rid of everyone but me and Thom. Two hours later they told us they were closing the site. I was stunned. My routine was about to be busted. I don't want to sound conceded but I'm kind of an important guy in my place. I know the routine inside and out and sometimes even the head of the site comes to me with a problem I might be able to help him with. And 90% of the time I do. I have had a key and a code to the alarm for years. I can pretty much do as I please. I know that no matter where I go I won't have the freedoms I have here. I won't know anything and I won't be the man with all the answers. Honestly, this kinda scares me. It blows being the new guy. What if the new place expects me to break my ass for ten hours a day? What if my co-workers suck? What if my boss is an spackatrd? It's a lot to think about.

Friday the company let about 12 people go. One of them was the dude you see pictured with Mags here. His name is Tim. I consider Tim a good friend. He was really the first person to bother with me when I went to work there. He taught me how to use the shipping computers and the crazy-ass method by which the company did business. He introduced me to the folks in the office and helped me with all the heavy lifting. Tim has a very strong personality and certainly has his own way of doing things. He has been to our home a few times and we have been out to dinner with him. I can't say enough good stuff about this guy. When I was passing by on Friday he stopped me and told me he was cut loose. I know we will all be out of a job but the finality of it sucks. Tim was with the company for 17 years. He, like me, has to start over. I gave him a hug and told him not to worry but he seemed upset. He quickly packed his workstation and was gone. I was told he was crying when he called another coworker to tell him he was let go. I feel bad for everyone. A company takes what they need from you and then tells you you are no longer needed. 

When I started here in 200 there were probably 100 people working there, when I go in tomorrow there may be ten. How the times have changed. Sometimes change is good, I hope this change is.