April 24, 2002 | 10:10 AM

8J) ## Harvard Ave

I gingerly sit on the chair across from BigPeter and LonnieMcMormon.

They look at me for a moment as though they are expecting me to speak first. I have no idea what to say. I stare back at them without even blinking. I can feel the anger over Angus�s dismissal burning in the pit of my stomach.

BigPeter starts.

I�m sure you heard by now about Angus?

You mean about him being downsized? Yes. I�ve heard that.

BigPeter and Lonnie exchange glances. They are obviously not comfortable with the term downsized.

LonnieMcMormon chimes in. This is the first time he has ever spoken directly to me. In the past when he walked by me in the hall he wouldn�t even say hello. He doesn�t talk to anyone who makes less than fifty grand a year�not if he can help it anyway.

That was something I hope you know neither of us enjoyed doing.

I don�t answer him.

BigPeter continues.

You know that there have been a lot of changes here recently. A lot of new developments have been in the works for awhile. You know that we are cutting the phone room by 75%, as we are looking to concentrate more on data analysis as opposed to data collection.

I nod.

Therefore we feel we only need two supervisors�one for the night shift and one for the day.

Yes, Mike told me that.

BigPeter clears his throat and sips from his water glass.

We have decided to allot those roles to John and Mike.

My knees shake. I say without emotion,

Well both John and Mike are excellent supervisors.

BigPeter nods in agreement.

You have done an excellent job in your role as Supervisor. I am aware that you even did some work from your own home over the weekend. I want you to know how much I appreciate that. You�ve been with us for a long time and your evaluations have all been stellar.

I attempt a smile, but it comes out all wrong. The corners of my mouth will not turn up.

Thank you.

BigPeter clears his throat again.

Well, you�ll be pleased to know that we do in fact have a position for you.

Oh great, I think to myself. Here comes the fucking promotion, which will probably be called a lateral move, and for which I will not be paid any more than I am currently making.

Oh really. What is that?

Lonnie and BigPeter exchange glances.

The position we have for you is� interviewer.

I blink and lean my head closer to them. Did I just hear correctly? Did they just say Interviewer? As in telephone interviewer? As in the job I was promoted out of two years ago? As in the people I currently am in charge of?

When I speak, my voice is two octaves above normal register and two decibels louder.

I�m sorry. What did you just say?

BigPeter leans back in his chair.

The position we have for you is being on the phone as an interviewer. Now I know you�ve done that already, but you�re so good at customer service�excellent with people�that�s on all your evaluations. This has nothing to do with your skills or achievements in your current position. It is a fiscal, corporate decision. You�re people skills and solid work ethic are exactly what we need on the phone. Now, it will of course pay a few dollars less than your current position�

Lonnie interrupts.

Say eleven or so dollars an hour.

I gasp. They want to cut my salary by $640.00 a month? They want to stick me on the phone? They want me to sit and dial all day? After everything I�ve done here?

So I�m being demoted.

Lonnie leans in and looks me in the eye.

Or you can leave.

All I can do is stare at him, my eyes wide as saucers. I want to say, Are you out of your fucking mind? After all the weekends I�ve sacrificed for you? After all the promises I�ve been made?

But when I open my mouth, not a sound comes out.

LonnieMcMormon rolls his eyes.

Honestly Anna, what did you expect? Do you want to spend the rest of your life in the phone room? I mean where exactly were you planning on going at this company?

There is a smirk on his face. And I realize with shock and horror that he is actually enjoying this.

BigPeter shoots Lonnie a dirty look, a look that says, that was in poor taste.

I am absolutely speechless.

BigPeter speaks softly.

I really hope you decide to accept the interviewer position. Well Anna, what do you think?

I stare at him.

What do I think? I think you should go fuck yourself and then fuck Lonnie in the ass and the two of you can have an ass fucking jamboree for all I care you scum sucking corporate freaks.

I let out a howl as I leap across the desk and strangle both of them with their neckties. As they gasp for breath, I reach into my pockets and jam loose change into their mouths. I bounce quarters off of their heads and shove pennies up their nostrils. They lay on the floor bloody and begging for mercy. I stomp on their newly shined shoes and poke holes in their feet with their thousand dollar lapel pins, laughing like the Wicked Witch of the West all the while.

This scene plays out in my mind and I desperately want to act on it.

But a calm rational thought overcomes my primal longing for well-deserved revenge.

I am going to need this company as a reference because this is the only real job I�ve ever had. And I am going to get another job�a much better job, and then I will tell them to go fuck themselves. And maybe I will burn the building down. Not while anyone is there of course.

I realize I haven�t said anything for at least a minute. The office is completely silent save for the hum of Peter�s PC and the clock ticking away.

So Anna what do you think?

I stand up with all the dignity I can muster and make a point to look both of them in the eye.

Well BigPeter, I think that I do not wish to continue this discussion any further at this time. I will contact you when I have something to say.

I turn on my heal, and with a straight back and head up in the air, I walk out of his office and back into the phone room.

John is sitting at a desk making out the evening�s schedule. He glances up at me and smiles but the smile fades as quickly as it appears when he sees the look on my face.

What�s up honey? Didn�t you get the promotion?

No. No I didn�t. But guess what? They want me to be an interviewer! Yeah that�s right. They want to pay me $640.00 less a month than they are currently.

John gasps.

Oh my god.

Yeah. So you wanna know what I say to that? I say fuck them.

I choke on the last word and start crying.

Excuse me. I have to go now.

I run out of the phone room and out the Stupid Company offices. I run all the way downstairs to the street and around the corner to the safe little stoop where I spent my anorexic summer lunches, dreaming about a beautiful new future in Allston.

In my haste, I have forgotten my coat.

Stay Tuned For Part The Fifty-Eighth�

There's life underground

I feel it all around

I feel it in my bones

My life is on the line

When I'm away from home

When I step out the door, the jungle is alive

I do not trust my ears

I don't believe my eyes

I will not fall in love

I cannot risk the bet

�Cause hearts are fragile toys, so easy to forget

It's just another day

There's murder in the air

It drags me when I walk

I smell it everywhere

It's just another day where people cling to light

To drive away the fear that comes with every night

It's just another . . . . . . . It's just another day

It's just another . . . . . . . It's just another day . . .

It's just another day

When people wake from dreams

With voices in their ears that will not go away

I had a dream last night

The world was set on fire

And everywhere I ran there wasn't any water

The temperature increased

The sky was crimson red

The clouds turned into smoke and everyone was dead

But there's a smile on my face for everyone

There's a golden coin that reflects the sun

There's a lonely place that's always cold

There's a place in the stars for when you get old

There's razors in my bed that come out late at night

They always disappear before the morning light

I'm dreaming again of life underground

It doesn't ever move

It doesn't make a sound

And just when I think that things are in their place

The heavens are secure

The whole thing explodes in my face

Read the SAGA from

THE VERY BEGINNING

time capsule from heaven - Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011
31 - Saturday, Mar. 15, 2008
Dead/Alive - Monday, Mar. 10, 2008
Do not trustTIAA-CREF-- they are fucking their customers - Friday, Jul. 28, 2006
Shilling - Tuesday, Jul. 11, 2006

Before After