Things My Boss Said To Me

"Choose between work or school."

My answer to this ridiculous question was - You want me to choose between the job that you - yourself said had no future in it or getting my Masters Degree from NYU where the professors believe in me? Yes, I have balls of steel when it comes to talking to bosses.

To put into context - I went back to school while I was working and attended as many night courses as I could. Unfortunately, some of the journalism classes were only offered during the daytime and the time was drawing near when I would have to take them. So I offered to my bosses that I would use vacation days on those class days. Or go to class and come back and work later to make up the time missed. Both solutions were denied. Now mind you - I WORKED THERE FOR 15 YEARS! Neither my boss or his boss had ever worked anywhere for 15 years. In fact one had never married and the other was divorced once - so I kinda questioned their commitment issues.

Anyway - I was told to choose. I chose school. This was a watershed moment, because at that point Bear Stearns said we're going to fire you then. But they didn't really want to fire me so they gave me 4 weeks to change my mind. If I still didn't give up my desire to go to school - then I would be terminated. I still didn't change my mind.

Now this was 4 weeks from the end of the fiscal year - so my decision would cost me thousands of dollars in bonus money, plus my job. At the time, I cried and thought I would throw up. It was devastating. I was walking away from a job and lots of money that could help me actually pay for school for an unproven career change. Very scary stuff. But I knew what the choice was - even though it was one of the hardest decisions I had ever made in my life.

I chose correctly. I left 4  months before the Bear Stearns hedge funds began imploding and sold my Bear Stearns stock for $151 a share - because I was bitter and angry at had badly this boss treated me. I have a great career now and am much happier.

As a side note - I ran into this boss on the subway 2 years later. I know - a city of 8 million people and I end up on the same subway car. During our polite chatter I ended up making a snide remark about yeah well after you fired me. He said you quit we didn't fire you. I said I was on unemployment for 6 months you fired me. He didn't even remember what had transpired. Unbelievable.