the angel of death

Sad as it is to say... part of my job is to be the official "angel of death", a job that I've been identified with for the longest of time.

In the earlier years of this company, mismanagement and miscalculation has led to the overabundance of employees. By the time the miscalculation had to be set straight, no one wanted to make the announcement. The then vice president ran away, the Filipino General Manager ran away, and all the king's horses and men ran away as well.

I was tasked to be the one to break the news of retrenching all of those people whose names I had to call out like hosting a beauty pageant. Those who were called, survived and those who were not, perished.

During the time of SARS, I had to be the one to open up the discussion on alternatives if the business was to survive. The employees, understanding the situation although weary had no choice but accept the circumstance. In three and a half months, we were able to return to normal operational expense and the compay recouped.

Yesterday, after weeks of toiling over this decision, it had to be done again.

Once again, the "angel of death" descends upon the lonely theatre to discuss survival schemes that would allow us an extension to our lease on life. It was something that I did not want to do but had to... It was a task that no one else can do.

Yesterday, I hated my job.