* - Edited for anonymity, posted for posterity

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Hello Doreen

This is my first email to a site manager. I don't really know why I am writing this to you. Maybe I just feel I can share this with you and you would understand. You've been in the company long enough that you'd have the perspective to understand what I'm about to say about how I feel.

I felt a tinge of sadness when Steve left the company for good. He was a visionary and the company was his baby. He had anticipated the effects of the "Bubble" would spill over to companies like his and he moved to merge us with another company. I was of the opinion he was trying to save his "baby". I really believe his purpose was to allow the company to survive the hard times that were to come. I felt the same sadness when Bob announced he was leaving too. Combined, these two brought success to the company. I was more than just proud that I was employed by a company serving 36 million people, and when they left it felt like an empty victory. Analogous probably to a son trying so hard to please a father, only to find him no longer there when he reaches the pinnacle of his achievements.

I was saddened when they shut down OKC. I felt a strange affinity to the people there, even if we only communicated through IMs and email. I felt a bit lost after they announced that the company was shutting them down. I felt resentful that they were replaced by people from a place I barely knew (India). Ms.Ludy kept my spirits up by telling me that the new employees there were looking up to us in the same way I regarded the people in OKC.

During the "Meeting" earlier, I was deeply saddened by Stephanie's announcement. I thought I had prepared myself for this eventuality. I had known a month in advance that a takeover was about to happen. An employee from another call center here in Clark told me that ***** execs that came to their center were harping about acquiring us. So it should not have come as a surprise to me. But surprisingly, I felt saddened by the "formal" announcement. I told myself an era was ending. I felt resentful at the way one of the ***** execs worked the crowd to get them excited about the change. I put on a happy smile when employees around me started noticing my lack of enthusiasm. I had a responsibility to keep their spirits up. But deep inside I felt awful.

When you were saying your piece at the close of the meeting, I was praying hard that you wouldn't tear up. I felt the tension in your voice and each time you paused a little I was half-expecting that you'd say goodbye.

I don't know how to end this email, so allow me to say that the company's been a big part of my life. I spent a good fourth of my life here. Through the good and bad I stayed with it through the years. I even pledged that I would "go down with the ship" even as friends were leaving for other companies and going abroad. The company was more than just work for me. They say that home is where your heart is. For many years, the company felt like home. I feel saddened that I have to bid it goodbye. My heart will always belong to this company.

Allow me to use my signature one last time...

Respectfully and sincerely yours,

Ed

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