AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And therein lies the problem!” I say a little too loud. “Are you aware that a few members of staff had to take personal loans to be able to pay for that trip?” Glen’s face pales. “That trip was quite expensive, and none of your higher-ups even considered that it might be difficult for younger staff members to swing it. This is exactly what I’m saying. It’s been a while since anyone in management has had to worry about money at that level. These young people are at the beginning of their careers. They can’t afford to jet across the country to partake in an expensive hobby.”
I look around the room. All of the board members are nodding and so are my bosses.
Glen looks appropriately guilty. I hate that I am the one who had to point this out to him, but he needs to be brought to reality.
“Anyway, I don’t believe empathy is something that can be taught. So it is my suggestion that all department heads be removed and replaced with younger, but also experienced, hands.”
“Whoa… I understand the point you’re trying to make, but let’s not go too crazy. Most of my department heads started this company with me. That means some of them have been with me for almost 30 years. I can’t just kick them to the curb now.”
“The fact that these people have been working for you for more than two decades should give you pause. It’s time that they stepped aside and let others lead.”
“I agree with you, but these are people who are still very energized. I believe they can still be of use to the company.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t see how that would work. Keeping any of them would require changes tantamount to a huge demotion, and I don’t see them being comfortable with that. Most people I know can’t stand that kind of a kick to the ego.”
“What is your problem?!” Glen shoots to his feet and slams a fist on the table. “You could try a little harder to work with me.”
“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t brought in to tend to your caprices. I was brought in to turn the ship around and that’s going to require some difficult decisions.”
The room is silent for a moment as Glen glares at me. He then steps out from behind the table and walks out of the room, slamming the door as he goes.
“Well, that was very dramatic,” Mrs. Thorpe says. Everyone in the room, except me, laughs and I find the sound irksome.
I feel bad that I riled Glen up so much. To the point that he is being ridiculed by his colleagues.
I probably could have been gentler with him. I am almost certain that my bitterness toward him just now can be linked to him not pursuing me after what happened in Jacksboro.
I know it’s not rational, but it is what it is.
Anyway, this is not the time nor the place to even attempt to open that particular can of worms, so I continue with my presentation.
The rest of the meeting goes on without incident and the board is pretty open to most of my suggestions and appear to be quite impressed.
Before Mr. Moore leaves, he pulls me aside and tells me how much of a good job he thinks I’m doing so far. I bloom under his praise but that feeling doesn’t last long. I can’t help the hot stone of guilt that has settled in the pit of my stomach.
I realize that it can’t be easy to be Glen right now. From what I have been able to gather since starting atMed-Fields, although the company has its issues, everyone that works here genuinely cares for each other. I hate it when people say that their colleagues are like family. However, this company is the only one I’ve ever seen come closest to embodying that sentiment.
As things are right now, I don’t know where I stand with Glen, and that worries me.
I may have ruined things between us irreparably. That thought makes me sick to my stomach.
Chapter Six
Glen
It has been 24 hours since that firing squad of a meeting and I am still vibrating. I can’t believe how angry I got. I’m even more surprised that my anger has persisted this long.
I mean, I knew she was going to suggest I fire people, but actually hearing her say it made my blood boil. If we implement the changes she is suggesting,Med-Fieldswill be an entirely different company.
The company is like home to me. In fact, it feels more like home than my actual home. I like walking through the doors and seeing familiar faces. The faces of people I know who would do almost anything for me. Faces of people I would do almost anything for.
I can’t imagine actually sitting down with half my staff to lay them off.
I can’t let that happen. I don’t know how I’m going to block it, but I can’t let it happen.
Considering that I’ve been more irritable than usual, Oliver Johnston, my oldest friend in this world and the head of my Accounts Department, noticed that there was something off. He has forced me to come out to drinks tonight atSteam-Ruler, our favorite watering hole.
We got here 30 minutes ago and are sitting at the bar.
