FLY AWAY

Things around the old office won’t be the same anymore. Almost two years ago, I hired my first employee at my new company. He was my kind of project. A young, smart kid who was eager to learn and one I could coach into something special. And as it turned out, he was a great hire. He showed his smarts, I showed him the ropes, and we had a lot of fun along the way. I know he stuck around longer than he wanted to. He always said he stuck around because of me. We worked well together and had some fun traveling trips where I showed off my bad luck.

But all good things must come to an end. It’s time for the bird to leave the nest. His last day was Friday. He left to start his own business and return to his home country of Colombia. I know he’ll succeed and earn a lot more money than I ever will. Friday was a sad day for me. I did my best to hide it. After he left, I’d pass by his desk and the emptiness of his work area matched the feeling in my stomach. Work, come Monday, won’t be as fun that’s for sure. He made my job a lot easier and I’ll miss that. But I’ll miss his friendship even more.