This morning my supervisor, who happens to be in charge of HR, told me that they had to let someone go yesterday. Not because of anything negative on his part, we just simply didn't have the business in his area of expertise in order to justify continuing to keep him on. She told me he would be coming by later this afternoon to pick up his stuff.

When he arrived I had to buzz him in because of course his access card had been taken away. He looked like a lost puppy and I felt a strong sense of sadness twist into my gut. I've been there. I was laid off from a job once and it was devastating.

I went into my supervisor's office and pleaded with her not to make me ask him to sign in and wear a badge identifying him as a visitor. She gathered her seasoned HR wits about her and told me she would handle it. I returned to the lobby and told him she would be out momentarily. I didn't know what to say to him so I smiled in a way that I hoped conveyed sympathy and focused my attention firmly onto my computer screen. When my supervisor came out she reminded him that he had to sign in. What an awful feeling - to suddenly be an outsider at the place you, up until so recently, dedicated 40 plus hours a week to. Poor guy. Hopefully he will have a nice vacation. After I sobbed uncontrollably for 72 hours after being laid off, I started to enjoy unemployment. Especially because it was being subsidized by the federal government.  ¶ 5:14 PM