It's Not Personal...

It’s Not Personal...

Feeling vulnerable, uncomfortable

and well outside his comfort zone,

he sat silently with others,

yet felt strangely so alone.

His mind slipped back a week

to replay that dismal scene;

standing in the boss’s office,

for the first time that he’d been.

“World economics - not our choosing -

company moving to offshore”.

His job just evaporated,

they didn’t need him anymore,

but the words that deeply hurt him,

quite glib, yet how they’d stung;

“You know it’s nothing personal”,

had really struck him dumb.

Not personal? Not personal?

Like bloody hell it’s not!

With our second baby due soon

and mortgage payments that we’ve got?

After eighteen years of service,

since the day that he’d left school,

he’d seldom taken sick leave

and being punctual was his rule.

His head was swirling with emotion

and he couldn’t trust his voice,

while walking out that gate forever

wasn’t something of his choice.

Now with just his severance pay,

which would quickly be cut out,

he sat quietly and waited,

despite his urge to scream and shout.

His life had changed abruptly,

and caused his proud heart to sink

feeling such a dismal failure,

while in the queue at Centerlink.

© Pete Stratford 17.8.11