“My mother said, ‘Always leave a job to where maybe you could go back to it.'”

Transcript for How I Tried to Leave

My mother said, “Always leave a job to where maybe you could go back to it.” And that was how I tried to leave. Any job I left I tried to leave that way. Gave them notice and let them know I was leaving. And I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to do that.

I went to the Gary National Bank, worked in there for about five years, and Mr. Horn, he was my supervisor, promised me that once I learned the job at the bank, they would promote me. And I went through the training that he had me do, and I did the job. Worked at the job for a year. Never got the promotion. So I walked in the office and I said, “Mr. Horn, it’s been a year since I finished my training that you said. When am I going to get a promotion?” He said, “Let me get back to you. I said, okay. About a week later, I stood there in the door, I said, “Mr. Horn, what did you promise me?” He said, “Well, we can’t do this right now.” I said, “Why?” And he gave me some long reason. I said, “Okay.” I never argue with anybody about a job. I went around the corner, and put in an application for Gary Housing Authority. About a month later, I went in and I told Mr. Horn, “Mr. Horn, I’m handing in my resignation.” And he said, “Don’t do that. Wait I’ll get back to you.” I said, “Okay.” He came back the next day, and said, “We’re going to promote you.” I said, “No, thank you, Mr. Horn. I’m taking the job, and I can leave today if you would like.” He did not like it at all. They were paying me almost $1,500 more than what I was getting at the bank, so I naturally was not going to turn that job down.

I worked in the purchasing department at Gary Housing Authority, and the lady that was over the purchasing department left. When they put the job up on the board, I asked for it, but because I was fairly new, hadn’t been there very long, they put someone else in the position. Mr. Bosak, he said the wrong thing to me. He said, “Will you show her how to do the job?” And I said, “Okay. Fine.” I did not make it any better or any worse. I went and applied at Methodist Hospital. And I left not just because he didn’t give me that promotion, I left because there was some political shenanigans going on. They had a fund going, “Flower Fund,” for people who worked there, but I found out through talking to some other people that it was really a political fund for whomever was in office at the time, and I said, “Don’t take any money out of my salary for that.” That’s when I said, “Thank you,” when I got to Methodist Hospital. I worked in the engineering department at Methodist for almost 18 years. I was the only lady in the department, and the guys were great. I had a good time. They were great. We even see each other and talk to each other now. But that was a good time. A very good time.

Hold a Conversation

Can you imagine leading a conversation about this story? Where? With whom? What kinds of questions would you pose? (See How to use the questions for reflection for one approach.) Please email your questions to us or post them in the comment box for our consideration. If you use them in an actual discussion, let us know how the conversation went.