Drum roll please...
I FINALLY HAVE LEFT THE AIRPORT!!!!!
Yes, six years of drama has finally been completed - I am no longer employed at that bitch of a job. And I can say with confidence that although it has given me stability on a resume, and I put all my effort into that job, this move was long overdue.
"Fan reaction"? All positive, even from my father. One of the reasons I held onto the job for so long (and I've told him this) is that dad looked at me in a very disappointed light in 2000 when I left Calder's for the first time after just three months. It was one of those cases where I lit into the boss and left. He basically told me that wasn't the right way to do things. That is known fact; the way he presented it, however, stuck with me.
I wanted to prove him differently, and I believe I did. Dad worked in the same place for 30 years, though... I only put in six years at Spirit. But this day and age, a person's not going to last for 30 years in one location too often. The average person changes jobs over nine times in a lifetime. My dad had it good because he lived in a time where job security was virtually guaranteed. Times have changed, and I think between 2000 and now, he understands that.
Though he and I don't talk too much, his support still means a whole lot and always will.
But let's go ahead and set the stage for the final confrontation which happened last night:
I had an hour break between flights, so I figured I'd go chat with Lisa. I always scan the watch wherever I am and I'm always aware of where I'm supposed to be. Then, Dianne from baggage came to me and said the rampers were looking for me, that I'm supposed to be out there. What, 45 minutes before the plane? I bid Lisa adieu and went back out there.
Turns out they rotated crews and threw my crew on a new plane five minutes before it landed. If you're told you've got an hour break, what do you do? Some go to the concessions. Some go outside to smoke or walk around. I decide to talk to a friend. And whereas some crews miss people when flights are rescheduled, and don't complain about it... oh, when I'M missing, they virtually send TSA out to look for me. Doesn't this hearken to my July entry about management having it in for me?
What blame could I take? None, other than sincerely apologizing for missing this detail, though questioning why we only get five minutes' notice. I even had the two-way radio and heard nothing. But the gate lead wouldn't even give me a chance to explain and initiated a tirade that ended up being two workers shouting at each other. There's two sides to every story, and I wasn't being heard. A six-year worker against a two-year worker should have some pull for me.
Guess not.
The supervisor was working the flight, and after the argument, I told him I was finally done due to this blatant disrespect. He told me to write a letter of intent, and after the flight was offloaded, I did so. He fired it off to the station manager and I went on my business, not telling anyone what I'd done (a two-week notice).
Hearken the July entry again: Finishing up the last flight, I was told to come into the supervisor's office, where the supervisor told me of the reply from the station manager: I would get the two weeks' severance pay, but that I would not be working for it. In other words, I would be paid to stay home.
Lol, I really loved that idea, and at the same time my mind was satisfied and at peace, knowing that six years of saying they had it in for me was true, after all. What a bunch of peons. They escorted me out, took my equipment, wished me luck, and closed the door behind me.
THANK GOD! That's all I can say. And here I am, making this entry, shaking a little in the legs, realizing not only the actual decision to leave was made, but the scope of how important it will be to me, given everything that's happened since 2001.
I look forward to the disintegration of Spirit Airlines in the forthcoming years, especially with me not there. I wasn't prepared to be the anchor of the sinking ship in this instance. And I won't be.
