'sup with that, bitch?

Wow. They say you never really know a person until Things Happen.

I’d worked with a pretty great woman over the last five years. She’s one of these killer cool people who’ve overcome a lot (we had that in common) to get where she is. She’s a mom, was an amateur boxer in her late 30s who made it to the nationals, and so on. All very admirable.

But today I saw a new side of her.

As I mentioned, at the end of June I was laid off. Then work came back in, I was called back, but I managed to set things up so I’d have the time off this month in order to attend this course that I thought would profoundly affect my life (and inside of two weeks, it already has).

But upon beginning the course, some things dawned on me. I couldn’t bear to return to my job in September. I couldn’t handle the stress of it. Everytime it crossed my mind, my chest constricted and breathing became challenging.

Then I found out said woman would be leaving her role as office manager.

All right, that was the final straw. I knew the office would descend into a state of disarray after her departure, and my apprehensions against returning to work evolved into full-grown panic. They would want me to step up -- right when I’m getting my shit together for the first time in my life.

There was a time when I was a primary ingredient in the glue that held the office together. That changed a couple years back for a series of reasons I won’t get into, but since then, the above-mentioned woman has done a lot to kind of stifle my role in the company. I’ve sat on my resentment and even thought, “maybe it’s for the better.” I even swallowed a pay cut in January to secure my job during tough times.

Well, long story short, on Friday I spoke with my physician and we reached an agreement whereby I should not return to the job, that it was NOT in my interest. He signed a note giving me three months’ medical leave.

I spoke with the powers that be in Employment Insurance offices and let them know I would be on sick leave, but that I had no intentions of returning to the job. They advised me to ride out the sick leave and formally quit in November, at which point my benefits would go on four-week hiatus as a penalty, a penalty I can’t afford right now.

Today, said woman contacted me to let me know she had anonymously called the EI Gods to find out how to launch an investigation of EI Fraud against me.

We used to be friends. We had a lot in common, a lot of mutual respect.

Not anymore, I guess. I feel betrayed. It doesn’t matter that she has decided not to pursue the investigation and the complaint of fraud because “the cost to the system would not be worth it,” but the damage is done.

I’ve worked through incredible obstacles in the last few years, gained tens of thousands of dollars of business for the company through my marketing prowess, enough to pay my salary for at least the last three years, and this is the thanks I get when I say I need time?

Goes to show you: You just don’t fucking know.

Launch it, I said. Do it. Do whatever the fuck gets you to sleep at night, honey. I’ll win. Hands fucking down. Even if my claim wasn't valid, I can talk my way into anything. Easily. But even better than winning the investigation would be that I’ll have a STORY.

And I do so love a good story. I’ll keep y’all apprised.