False Alarm

When you’ve been out of the office for as long as I have -- approaching 14 months now -- it’s pretty easy to get excited when a possible job comes your way.

It really doesn’t take very much. A phone call, an email... sometimes, even a billboard on the side of the road can give you some hope.

Well, last weekend I got a major lead and this time, it wasn’t another mirage. This was the real deal.

A former colleague of mine, who has helped me get work in the past, sent me an email asking if I would be interested in a job with him.

Interested?

Uh, in a word -- of course.

The description of the job spoke directly to what I had been doing for the majority of my career.

Of course, I have been through this sudoku puzzle before -- job comes my way, I get excited about job, job runs in other direction as quickly as possible.

Wow, that reminds me of my dating life in college.

Well, this time it felt different. This was my reliable friend, not some temp agency.

That was Saturday. This is Wednesday, NIGHT.

I’ll bet whoever said patience is a virtue, must’ve spent most of their life on the unemployment line. If you can sit still without a job, you can sit still anywhere.

For those of you counting -- the initial contact came on Saturday, now, here we are, nearly five days later with nothing.

(Actually, it’s closer to four days later, but this glass half full thing has left town.)

Is there really a chance that this will be my golden ticket?

47 hours ago, I thought that answer was yes, but who’s counting.

Now, I have no idea.

Even with all the bruises of this process, I still have not lost my desire to work. I have not lost my confidence to work well. And I have certainly not lost my hope that there will be a happy ending here.

I am very talented, creative and motivated -- skills that didn’t wash away with my last paycheck.

But why is this happening? Actually, why is this happening TO ME?

I know there are millions of Americans being hazed on a daily basis in this horrendous fraternity, but I’m the only person I have to wake up with every morning. Well, me and my wife.

And as amazingly supportive as she has been, I think it’s starting to take a toll on her as well.

Like me, she bought into this phantom job.

She bought in on Saturday morning.

Bought in on Sunday.

Asked if he called on Monday.

Wondered why he didn’t call on Tuesday.

Started to get mad on Wednesday.

I can’t wait for Thursday.