A Good Day
Yesterday was a good day.
A very good day.
I awoke at my regular time, but didn't have breakfast. Instead, I grabbed a large sheet of white cardboard and made a sign. It said, "Hey! It's been great workin' with you! Have A Biscuit!"
I got showered, shaved and dressed and left the house early.
I stopped off at Hardee's and bought two dozen bacon-egg-n-cheese biscuits. (My apologies to my vegetarian readers. Hell, my apologies to anyone who eats sensibly!)
I got to work a few minutes early and taped the aforementioned sign to the wall above the counter in the break room. I heaped the breakfast biscuits on the counter beneath the sign. Snagging a coffee and a biscuit bomb, I booked over to my office and booted up the computer one last time.
A steady trickle of co-workers stopped by to thank me for the HardeeGrams and to offer their heartfelt wishes for the new job. Others stopped me and were kind enough to let me know I was one of the "best people" they had ever worked with. I let them know that the feeling was mutual, because it was. The pressmen, QC people and the rest of the "floor staff" and I got along famously!
The Vice President stopped by to ask, "Now, tomorrow's your last day, right?"
"No, Boo," I replied. "Today is. Remember, I gave it to you in writing? It's also the last day of the payroll cycle."
Slapping her forehead, she said, "Oh, that's right! Well, you have some earned sick time coming, so I'll make sure Michelle works that into your check this week."
Bonus! I thought I wouldn't be getting what turned out to be 7.49 hours of pay. Schweet!
That morning I finished up the Corrective Action Responses for a customer audit, made copies, got the SOP manuals and controlled documents files all up to date and street legal.
When I was going around getting the final approval signatures, the QC Manager was amazed.
"Hey," she joked, "This is your last day, you don't need to be doing this kinda stuff!"
Yep, I cleared off my "to do" list and spent the rest of the day purging my desk of all the crap that accumulates over the course of not-quite-two-years.
It was a great feeling. The folks I worked with appreciated me (as I did them) and for the first time in my life I was leaving one job to go to a "better" job.
No tears, no remorse, no being escorted out of the building carrying a hastily-packed copier paper box. Just good vibes!
"Now, Craig," the Plant Manager said. "You always got a home here. If things don't work out y'all come back!"
As I was getting in my car at the end of the day, the QC Manager yelled across the parking lot, "Bye, Craig! Take care of yourself!"
"Oh, like I'm gonna start to now?" I hollered back.
It was a good day.
A very good day.
A very good day.
I awoke at my regular time, but didn't have breakfast. Instead, I grabbed a large sheet of white cardboard and made a sign. It said, "Hey! It's been great workin' with you! Have A Biscuit!"
I got showered, shaved and dressed and left the house early.
I stopped off at Hardee's and bought two dozen bacon-egg-n-cheese biscuits. (My apologies to my vegetarian readers. Hell, my apologies to anyone who eats sensibly!)
I got to work a few minutes early and taped the aforementioned sign to the wall above the counter in the break room. I heaped the breakfast biscuits on the counter beneath the sign. Snagging a coffee and a biscuit bomb, I booked over to my office and booted up the computer one last time.
A steady trickle of co-workers stopped by to thank me for the HardeeGrams and to offer their heartfelt wishes for the new job. Others stopped me and were kind enough to let me know I was one of the "best people" they had ever worked with. I let them know that the feeling was mutual, because it was. The pressmen, QC people and the rest of the "floor staff" and I got along famously!
The Vice President stopped by to ask, "Now, tomorrow's your last day, right?"
"No, Boo," I replied. "Today is. Remember, I gave it to you in writing? It's also the last day of the payroll cycle."
Slapping her forehead, she said, "Oh, that's right! Well, you have some earned sick time coming, so I'll make sure Michelle works that into your check this week."
Bonus! I thought I wouldn't be getting what turned out to be 7.49 hours of pay. Schweet!
That morning I finished up the Corrective Action Responses for a customer audit, made copies, got the SOP manuals and controlled documents files all up to date and street legal.
When I was going around getting the final approval signatures, the QC Manager was amazed.
"Hey," she joked, "This is your last day, you don't need to be doing this kinda stuff!"
Yep, I cleared off my "to do" list and spent the rest of the day purging my desk of all the crap that accumulates over the course of not-quite-two-years.
It was a great feeling. The folks I worked with appreciated me (as I did them) and for the first time in my life I was leaving one job to go to a "better" job.
No tears, no remorse, no being escorted out of the building carrying a hastily-packed copier paper box. Just good vibes!
"Now, Craig," the Plant Manager said. "You always got a home here. If things don't work out y'all come back!"
As I was getting in my car at the end of the day, the QC Manager yelled across the parking lot, "Bye, Craig! Take care of yourself!"
"Oh, like I'm gonna start to now?" I hollered back.
It was a good day.
A very good day.
posted by Craig D at 6:19 AM
14 Comments:
Thats the way to do it !
Although there is a certain amount of street cred to be earned by being 'taken to lunch' by your boss and finding that your pass card doesn't work and your personals on the door step when you return.
Ah the good old days...
That's terrific Craig! You're one class act.
I'm also glad there was no bad blood left behind.
Enjoy your (part) day-off today!
NEVER EVER apologize for bacon. EVER.
oh wow! i need to catch up here...you got a new job? that is fantastic! and you left your old job in style. what a nice guy you are! a big congratulations to you my friend!
You're a stand up guy, you should have good feelings about all of it. You deserve it.
good job, egg maching. them hardees biscuits are AWESOME!!! also, they hand dip their shakes & malts. Bonne chance, mon frere at your new travail.
Thanks guys. For once I was able to fake being classy! Who knew the key element in such a deception were Hardees biscuits?
I hope I've learned some life lessons about pragmatism, professionalism and hubris avoidance on this go-round.
I went for the orientation at the new plant this morning and, frankly, I had forgotten how, shall we say, "utilitarian" a manufacturing facility can be.
The benefits sound very nice. I think I can get by with only having to purchase one month (December) of COBRA-fied Health Insurance in order to "beat" the gap-in-coverage trap. And, heck, who needs extra money at Christmas time?
With any luck, I'll be able to ride this gig through to retirement!
I think you left on a great note. Anyone who buys biscuits for coworkers on his last day will ALWAYS have friends. So glad it was a great day!
WHAT??? No donuts? Where were the donuts? What kind of employee are you, getting bacon-filled biscuits and no donuts?
You should have gone to that one minor league ballpark that serves Krispy Kreme donut burgers. Now THAT would be a last-day treat.
You seriously bought biscuits for everyone? What a sweetheart! And furthermore, I'm a vegetarian, and the only reason you should ever apologize for meat filled biscuit bombs is if you are actually trying to cram the bacon down someone's throat.
furiousball: Based, on cowbell's comment, I guess you're right. There's no need to apologize for bacon!
dorky dad: I entertained the Krispy Kreme scenario, albeit briefly. Other folks have brought in donuts and I wanted to do something a little more special.
more cowbell: So noted. I'll use this nmemnonic trick: More Cowbell, but less Cow Byproducts.
charlotta: Further proof that the secret to popularity is biscuits!
You got Muffin Karma for Biscuit Price! Schweet deal indeed!
:-)
Muffins! (Slaps forehead.)
Hiya, Whim!
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