The File Room Lady

 The one sort of "friend" I've made at my new job got fired today.

Happy Friday the 13th to her, right? *party*

When embarking on my new job opportunity, I consciously decided I wouldn't make friends.  I would be nice, cordial, friendly, but not open to bonding.  I don't particularly want a lunch buddy, nor do I want to be involved in matters of your life.  I don't want to share my own life with co-workers.  It's enough for me to say "I'm sick and can't come in", and exchange niceties.  I don't want you knowing what my kids wore for Halloween, what I'm doing for Christmas, and so forth.  Moreover, I don't want to be a part of the gossip pool that exists in offices. I'm here to learn, to do, to leave.  

Yet, it started happening. I guess it can't not.  

There's one lady that worked in our file room that I found particularly interesting.  She was on contract-hire status.  She's from Mexico City. She moved from Mexico on her own to the United States - Houston, Texas - as a teenager so she could advance her education.  She knew no one.

She eventually got married, had a child.  That child now attends Southern Methodist University, studying science/pre-med, something or other.  The two of them moved to Dallas and live together; her husband remains in Houston. She doesn't allow her daughter to work so that she can concentrate on studies.

Given my background of living along the border, I found it easy to talk with her at certain company gatherings and the two of us tended to gravitate toward each other.  During an outing, she mentioned she's learning Hebrew.  Then she later shared she's Jewish -- NOT a convert, either!

I found this to be QUITE fascinating for, in all my years of being in El Paso, never had I heard of Mexican Jews! Given my interest in both culture and religion, I was naturally curious to learn more.  Conversation struck up from time to time.

I've not been at my current job for very long. I've noticed how some of my co-workers condescendingly talk to her, treat her.  I've admired how my "friend" worked through the mistreatment. After hearing a little about her plight, I understood better why she does.

The bottom line is that I feel like she's being wrongly fired. Like I said at the beginning of the blog, I've tried to steer clear from gossip and bonding. Yet, I still feel like there were times that she was on the black list.

Today, of all days (if you're the superstitious type), is the day my "friend" was Black Listed.

She is leaving with dignity and I praise her for working all day, completing as much as she could, even though she knew it was her last day.

I wish her luck. I wish her joy. I wish her peace. I wish her a good job where people treat her with dignity and respect. 

(How's that for a "fun" blog?! *goes back to the drawing board*)