Abandonment, and Trust Issues…

A while ago I had an MA assigned to me. She was (is) capable, focused, intelligent, and engaged; she maintained awareness of what else was occurring in the department, and reacted promptly and appropriately. (She was the protagonist of the tale of the early morning floppy child)

As things developed, she had an opportunity to transition to a day shift, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, work-no-weekends-or-holidays job (in contrast to our present work-til-9-pm, every other weekend, every other holiday scenario). And! Get a raise in pay!

Naw, I cannot see why she would entertain such an opportunity for a single second, either.

So, of course, I teased her. “Oh, I see how you are! You would rather spend time with your husband, with your children! Oh, yes, I suppose all that is just fine for you, but what about ME?”

As you might expect, she started her new job, and, occasionally, took some overtime, working with me from time to time. Of course, each time I would tease her. “Oh, I see! Now that you are dead to me, NOW you come back, just as I was resolving my grief at your cruel abandonment of me!”

My partner joined in, observing, “You know, if you came back to work in this department again, you could never break up with him ever again! He has been an embittered husk of a man, since you left!”

(This is the same partner who observed, when I once wore a fleece prominently displaying the fact that it was an item from the National Rifle Association, by means of the 2 inch tall initials “NRA” over the left breast, let me know, “You know, they spelled your name wrong on your coat!”)(My name is “Tom”)

We reached a lull one overtime night, and I renewed my teasing. “You know, I taught you everything I know, while I was standing on one foot, and you abandon me! Oh, yes, you have a ‘HUSBAND’, and you have your ‘CHILDREN’, you have dreams, and plans for your life, but, what about MEE?!?”

She chuckled.

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