At Least We Have Good Weather: A Life of Love and Loss

Chapter 12

I handed in my notice at Intekom and waited out my time. I turned my last day into a game of Survivor, and forced everyone to vote me out the office. Of course everyone was seemingly busy, and didn't have time to play my silly games. But at least I would see them at my after- work farewell drinks.

Come one, come all!! Come anyone?

I think the turnout was about three people, one of whom was a new guy I didn't even know. My boss, who was one of my better friends in life at the time didn't turn up either. A few weeks later though he did get hold of me and apologized for the way he acted and invited me to lunch. I think I had the beef.

My first day at Microsoft was memorable. Ask anyone what I wore and they would probably tell you - I had on my long black coat, piercings and a killer smile. Soon thereafter I was asked called into the office by one of the managers and asked to stop wearing my earrings. My smile disappeared quickly too.

This was to be a sign of times ahead. I understood it was a more corporate environment, but I've always had an issue with being told how to look when it comes to appearance. I've never felt it affected how I did a job, especially if my job was telephonic support.

My early days at Microsoft were difficult, and I almost quit several times during my first month. I was way out of my depth in terms of knowledge. I'm glad I didn't however, because I made some very good friends there. Between Dylan, Paul, Richard, Jared and Rory, I had guys I actually liked spending time with outside of the office.

After the loneliness of the last few years, it was nice to have a social life building again. I still yearned for a different vocation, but having friends at the office certainly made doing time in the IT industry easier.

But boy was 2001 a year of flux!

Earlier that year, I attended my cousin Andre's wedding, which as previously mentioned I attended with my old friend Milena. I saw old friends from my days at ICON for the first time since leaving what felt like a lifetime ago.

To counteract the good, the bad news arrived a few months after that, I was driving home and received a call on the day of my late brother's birthday that my Gran had died, and was asked to go home and tell my mom. Mercifully she had already heard the news by the time I arrived.

I remember September 11th... where in the early afternoon we all watched the big screen in the office in disbelief - I stood staring in absolutely heartbreak at the numbing images, watching as the city I loved, and was meant to live in, was forever changed.

Despite these events, my life was finally getting some sense of normalcy as a result of me getting together an indoor soccer team; resuming my beach volleyball career, along with Dylan (putting the heartache of the Gavin incident behind me), and even taking up Kickboxing. Getting my butt whipped on the office table tennis scene was fun, but I practiced every single day until I became unbeatable. My life was filling up with commitments and fun again.

Sure, my home life was a mess, but my social life was the best it had ever been, and financially I was doing pretty well.

I even had a most unexpected encounter with my team leader, Nellie.

Nellie was slightly older than me, and she had a young son. We were all so close during those days that if someone had a dinner or a party, we all attended.

One Saturday, Nellie had a party for her boy, and invited a bunch of us to attend. Which we gladly did as it was a change for us to enjoy a night out too.

As the evening progressed, all the kids left and other parents eventually left, until were just four of us left - two guys, and appropriately two girls. When the other two paired off and left with mischievous grins on their faces, we both knew they were headed back to his place for a quick hookup.