Aghast from the Past

Yesterday afternoon I got to have a couple of drinks and catch up with my old sort-of-boss at the Hell place, Lance, who evidently leads a very sheltered nightlife. We met at the Cedar Door, and when I arrived, Lance said, "Wow, you didn't mention this place was a dive - a real hole in the wall! I like it!"

I guess it's just as well I didn't suggest we meet at, say, Hole in the Wall.

We had a great time chatting and exchanging gossip, gossip, gossip. Lance had heard that Suzi, the senior consultant who originally hired me, had left the company and moved off to California, which if true would be like Tiffany losing her left nut. He also heard that the husband of Ursula, the seahag CEO, talked to Svengali recently (the company co-founder and former president) and told him that things really weren't going so well.

Lance is in town to see Svengali, in fact; at the industry tradeshow, Svengali has a booth directly across from my former employer's. Svengali asked Lance to put in an appearance with him just to piss off Tiffany and Ursula. I don't quite understand that level of bitterness, though of course I wasn't lied to and falsely promised to and fired; nor did I co-found the company only to be fired for not being Ursula's niece. This particular form of confrontation still strikes me as a little odd, though. I'm thinking it'll end in a dance-off.

But something odd just came to mind, that I forgot to mention to Lance yesterday. He was fired by the COO, who is the husband of the sister of the husband of the CEO. Ursula and Tiffany make him do the dirty work. We'll call him Dick.

What? It's a perfectly good name.

The company Christmas party was on a Thursday this past year, coincidentally the night before I drove up to Austin to interview for my current position. I was standing at the bar near Dick, who suddenly turned and leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. Then he pulled back and gazed at me wordlessly for a few moments, leaned in and kissed me again, and walked away.

I never knew if he was hitting on me or if I was receiving the Kiss of Death - or possibly both - but in any case it didn't matter since I gave my notice less than a week later. I'm sure I would have been fired if I'd stayed much longer, though.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon was a blast and I'm so happy to have seen my old war buddy. For all the awful things that ridiculous company put so many of us through, I do owe them for some lasting friendships.

I also owe someone there a quarter.