Saturday, September 10, 2011

For a few pennies more

‘I’m sorry.’

‘I’ve worked here for 33 years.’

‘I know. We’re letting 125 people go.’

‘You’re sacking us, not letting us go. What am I meant to do? I’m 52.’

‘We have organised for someone to talk to you about your options.’

‘Options? What feckin’ options! There’s half a million people on the dole. I have a wife, kids, a mortgage to pay.’

‘As I said, I’m sorry. It’s part of a global restructuring. The manufacturing operations are relocating to Romania.’

‘And sod us poor bastards for a little extra profit! I take it that you still have your job?’


A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.

5 comments:

kathy d. said...

Wonderful! An entire life just wiped away with a few pointed words, a family destroyed, and the pain of it all felt instantaneously.

It's amazing what 100 choice words can convey.

Anonymous said...

Rob - This is fantastic. You really convey the frustration, the anger, and the sadness in just those few words. Well done and it rings all too sadly true.

Uriah Robinson said...

A brilliant drabble Rob. You have encapsulated the case against globalization and the EU in 100 words.
Some firms have even got the workers in the UK to train the Poles, Slovaks, and Romanians before they move the factories to their countries.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Nice job, Rob. It actually just happened to me.

Rob Kitchin said...

Sorry, to hear that Patti. I hope you'll be okay. There's a lot of it going on in Ireland.