It was an exciting time in the CL workforce. We were moving to a new location!

I believe the office building was somewhere in Dolores. It was in very large, two-story building, and had internal spaces that housed restaurants, shopping, and even an arcade. There was a lot of metal railings and beams, with wall-to-wall windows. The shopping area was not exactly new, and a little grimy, as if it had been there before, to serve other businesses. The arcade had an old neon sign, blinking…

Perry was also working with me, suddenly! I was very excited to be able to see him at home and at work. He branched off to find his desk, and I continued, exploring the new workspace.

It was large and open, with occasional offices dotting the outside edges of the room. All glass, so even in the interior, you could see through these outer offices/conference rooms, and to the outside. It was sunny and green outside, glass and metal on the inside. Large plants softened and dotted the interior. There were some offices that ringed the upper level, with the center open to below.

There were hundreds of people working here! I started to feel lost… and yes, hurt. When I started working, there was one other employee, and I was touted as a “right-hand woman”. Yet, I knew NOTHING about where all these people came from. What were they all doing? Why didn’t I know anything?

Then I realized that I did not have a private office. I was forced to fend for myself and find a place to work. I managed to obtain a desk amid the hustle-bustle of workers – most of whom already had a workspace completely set up. Why wasn’t I given an office? Why did I have to find a desk? WHY WASN’T I IN ON ALL THE PLANNING FOR THIS EXCITING TIME?

My desk was an old battered steel monster that was from the 1960’s. The drawer handles were loose, and the drawers were sticky and not easy to open. I found a chair. There was a stapler on the desk.

I went to find Perry and see where he was setup. Oh my god! He had a gorgeous, L-shaped desk! It was sleek and modern! He had a computer with two additional monitors, and was already talking on a new multi-line phone. He looked so happy, and while the call got put on hold, was talking to his immediate neighbors, like they had been working together for years.

The boss was no where to be found. I realized that no one beside Perry even knew who I was. I was a PEON! I was NOT a trusted member of a team. I was a number. I was humiliated. Then, I woke up.