My Job
by
Ronald Robert Moore
When I arrived at work I was immediately called into Mr. Roberts’s office. I had never been called into his office before. When I walked in he sat behind his huge desk and Mrs. Berman sat to his right. There was a new man I did not know sitting between them and Mrs. Berman started.
“You didn’t tell us about your seizure problem when you applied for this job, did you Andy?”
“I didn’t think it was necessary because I hadn’t had a seizure in a long time and didn’t think I was going to have anymore.”
Mr. Roberts spoke. “Do you realize the business interruption you caused yesterday by having your seizure. Maria, your unit secretary, threatened to quit and is on sick leave for two days because the seizure scared her so bad.
“I’m so sorry Sir. May I send her a card?”
“No, do not contact her, alright!”
The unknown man spoke. “Andy, I am Mr. Shaw and I am head of human resources for the corporation. Look, we are all sorry about this but we are going to have to let you go. I have all the final paperwork and checks here for you to sign.”
“So, I’m being fired for having a seizure?”
Mrs. Berman’s boss continued. “Oh no, of course not, we know you can’t help that. We are letting you go for not telling us about your condition on the initial application for employment.”
“Well, you know I have been here for two years and have never been issued a verbal or any kind of warning. My last evaluation stated my work was excellent. I was afraid you wouldn’t hire me if I told you I have epilepsy. You see, I never seem to get the job when I include my epilepsy on the application.”
“Andy, I don’t know if you remember but at the end of your initial application for employment there is a disclaimer, here it is, as you can see if we find out that you have lied, you will be terminated. We are simply exercising our right to do that.” Mr. Shaw pointed his finger at the disclaimer as he held it up in the air. Then he handed it to me.
“Well, would you have hired me had I told you?” All three people looked at each other as if for the answer.
Mrs. Berman started to answer and her boss intervened.
“Don’t answer that Loucetta, I’ll take it. Of course we would have, we do not discriminate for any reason. Now, please sign your exit forms”.
“What if I don’t sign it?” I gave Mrs. Berman a long hard stare, and she looked down at the lush carpet.
“Nothing,” Mr. Shaw said, “except that the vacation and accrued sick leave are paid at our discretion, we would simply not pay you those.”
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Ronald Robert Moore is a writer who started trying to learn this wonderful craft because he has been a life long reader. His hobbies are reading;writing and fishing. His cat, Whitey, lays on his computer desk and edits his story. His final goal in writing is to craft a salable novel.
