Cafe Hitch-hike

2004-10-20

Movin' on

In her card, I wrote:

Hey Souljah, Keep on doin' what you've been doing, and never stop dreaming & believing! I hope this road takes you to all you've been seeking (but of course, keep smilin' and have fun on the way!)! Best always to you & your family, Hitch-Hike

No freaking way, man... Three people are bailing at my jobs. Souljah found a job at the Medical School. We were teasing her, saying she got too good for us and we were too ghetto, so she had to go where there were better folk. We were also teasing that we knew she wanted to find herself a nice doctor with mo-money (hahah, but oh-so true). It's so funny because I've worked with her for the last 3 years, and now she's on her way. I don't know... we have a pretty laid-back office with quite the sense of humor. I hope the next person can groove with that. However, Soul's going on to a place with more chances for promotions, bigger salary, and it's closer to her daughter's school. She's definitely moving a step up.

Tomorrow is her going-away luncheon. We're going to trick her by just giving her a cupcake and saying, "oh, here. This is for you. Best of luck." And then one of us will lure her to a back staff lounge, where the real food and decor will be. My contribution will be my magical-mystery pineapple-rum upside down cake. It's like crack, man, people scrape the bottom of the cake pan for sweet drops of that butter-sugar-rum goodness.

SAY IT ISN'T SO!! I guess it is, Jody, so I hope your new job leads to you a happy and prosperous path. Take care, and best wishes to you and your family. --Hitch-Hike

The second person to leave, Jody, works at the public library. Jody's the second in command at the pub.lib. He studied engineering but dropped out short of one semester. He recently found a job very close to his home that's going to pay for him to go back to school. And, it had regular hours! (The Pub.lib has this really fucked-up rotating schedule). And of course, he's gonna be making more money, and doing something he's dreamed of doing.

Man, that is so fucking cool!

Lady Jane, You may be retiring, but I'm sure you'll be seeing and doing plenty! Thank you for generously sharing your expertise and passion for learning. You truly touched everyone around you. Best, Hitch-Hike

Lady Jane was the first person to leave as of September 30. I had mixed feelings about her the whole time I worked with her and must admit my job's been easier since she's been gone. However, I respectfully went to her going-away gathering, and signed her card with something positive and true of our relationship.

It was tough for her to leave because she is a professional, without children, so her job means alot to her. She's been in the teaching and library business for over 30 years, so this was a very bittersweet departure for her. Jane also acknowledged that it was the end of the road. She knew other teachers who were really totally spent after 25-30 years in the profession, and just had to leave; she then joined those ranks.

In law, there was constantly turn-around and people were always jumping ship for different jobs. However, my experience in libraries is that they tend to be quite stable unless the administration is just plain evil towards its staff, or in this case, something better comes along. It's just a little unsettling because these moves are the first major ones I've had in the 3 years I've worked in libraries. Our graduate and undergrad assistants move on; that's expected because they finish school. It's just that this is the first time faculty/ staffpersons have moved on at once.

I don't feel envy, but just pray that I'm on a similiar track as Jody and Souljah, and that my train of opportunity comes soon.

And of course, I wish them well, and hope that we don't become strangers!

downwind | upstream