The room was bare and dimly lit. From the window you could see it snow, the roofs were all whitewashed. Was in a hurry to return home, he sat for almost an hour and my legs were numb. The stifling heat and humidity was at its highest. He was breathing with difficulty and could not think. The hands clutching the strange letter.
He had read a dozen times but had failed to understand its true meaning. It was a letter which reached him two days earlier. The envelope was a white rectangle, its name and address were handwritten in beautiful calligraphy. In the upper left was printed on the sender: Human Resources Department.
The contents of the envelope was a single sheet of A4 color ivory paper quality was excellent: smooth with the letterhead of the sender in relief. The text was short and concise: the personnel manager inviting him to call, Friday, December 24 at eight at headquarters - address below - for important communications.
he missed the sense of the letter as important communication was to report to the Director of Personnel? A promotion? Of course, a promotion he thought, on the eve of Christmas should be good news. A doubt, however, had now arisen. They were not those good times: the company was in crisis. Someone had the idea that flashed at the beginning of the year there would be a major restructuring, perhaps even a reduction in staff, but those rumors were quickly denied were: the company was sound, and new orders were coming.
had arrived at the entrance of the headquarters with ten minutes early. The usher, a tall, rather slender, had greeted kindly. When he said he had to go to the Human Resources Director, the clerk replied that the Director was not present but it would have been received by Dr. Marta Rossi. He had to go up to the tenth floor and wait in the waiting room. On the right down the hall, he said. Going
had not seen any person and the silence was almost absolute. Easily finds the waiting room, entered and sat in the only chair in this room. No painting or poster hanging on the walls. No one had done still alive, looked at his watch were the eight and ten.
At half past eight a girl came in and asked if he was Marco Venturi. When he had the confirmation, said that the doctor had arrived el'avrebbe received within minutes. Instead, it was not so, the minutes passed, the anxiety went up, the room temperature increased the half-hour. He took off his coat but did not find a suitable place to put it: placed it on his lap. He felt tingling legs, stood up. In that instant, the same girl as before, told him that he could enter the next room.
The office was spacious and lighted, the temperature pleasant. Before crossing the door took a deep breath. In back of the room behind a large desk, a woman waiting for him. He was young, well dressed and cared for, no requirement to define better the missing, but he, Marco Venturi, never would have adopted a beautiful woman. The beauty of a person is never a quality in itself, must be accompanied by other requirements such as kindness, for example. That woman, you could tell, was certainly not good. A smile pulled, the sudden movements and I think that should also be very irritable. Everything around her seemed cold and helpless.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Prego accomodi> is> the woman said. The tone was dry and bitter with a slight English accent, typical of those forced to travel abroad a lot.
The man sat down in front of the woman, separated only by the desk, looked at their eyes, then held out the letter, now crumpled to her.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;So because the director l'ha convocata>> paused, then took a breath, like a record, he began to speak:
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;you work with us for at least ten years. He always played the his duties with punctuality and efficiency. It has an excellent curriculum, have you ever thought about progressing your career, get a higher salary?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Sure I've thought a lot but I feel good in this society, I live near my parents, I have some time at leisure. You know, I have two small children to care for, have been a widower for a year now and I need the help of their grandparents. Do I have to stay with them, need the presence of his father. Changing jobs would mean less time available, to travel, stay away from them>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I understand, I am very sorry, but you see, as will After the company decided to shift all production abroad. The design phase will be outsourced. His office will cease by January 1. It can no longer offer its services>>. The woman's words made him jump, he stopped for a moment to breathe.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Si calmi, calmi> is> the woman said.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Do not .... You can not do this to me, put me to the door. You may not, have children, only, you can not ...>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Come on, try to calm down. You will receive a three months' severance pay from the state and by our company. We will provide some good references. Here in this folder you will find all the material needed to plan its future. A strategic plan that demonstrates how to reformulate its strategic objectives. It will also be available to a psychologist for a possible moral support>>.
The man got angry, clenched his fists.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I do not need a stupid folder or even a psychologist, I want my job, okay? I want my job. They have also outsourced the layoffs. They gave her the assignment of license, the director too cowardly to tell me in person, right?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Mi sorry I can not stay to discuss it with lei, vada>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Lei cacciarmi> can not> shouted.
\u0026lt;'I am forced to call the vigilanza>>. He lifted the telephone receiver and dialed the one hundred and eleven.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Tell me, tell my children today, I'll say ... but you can not know. It has no feelings, has no heart. I bet that has neither family nor boyfriend. No one comes close to her. It 's a lonely woman and this is the work suitable for you: Fire on behalf of other people ...>> the words died in his mouth, a guard of weight lifted and forced him to quit. Furi building was cold, the snow fell, it was Christmas Eve and he was unemployed, without a future, and with two children to raise.
The woman, alone in the office, pulled a sheet from his desk drawer and looked at the list and crossed out the last name. He had done his job. He had done his work, was fulfilled. From the bag and took his cell phone:
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Hello Love, I'm done with work, now we can celebrate Christmas. Where you taking me?>>. Man, other end, he shook, he found just the words.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;It was not planned to see us for Christmas. I spend with my wife ...>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;But if your wife is a year that you do not want to see more… No, you are with qualcun'altra>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;What do you mean ... No, if anything, friends, president, CEO. They invited me, I agreed, know for his career ...>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Balle, are all lies. You will see to that bitch than twenty years. The daughter of the director, right?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;But if you barely know. But yes, I will see>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Well, then I was right! However his father that the work I completed, I now must take. Deputy Director of Human Resources. So he promised>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Look here too there is a problem. The daughter wants to gain experience, start working. I think that his place will be ...>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;This is how things are, you go to bed with her, is become your new lover and I waste even work>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;'s life, baby. You should know it, you have just finished downloading the employees. Anyway you know how to rebuild a career, and we can offer you a psychological consultation>>. The woman abruptly closed the call and burst into tears.
Alone, with no one. The first man was right, no one wanted to be with her. In fact she was away people. He wasted a year of his life with a man who loved her. She was the mistress of a married man. Was used for sex and to play a crappy job that nobody else had wanted to do: liquidate an entire department, send home a lot of people, and now, and now had been fired in turn. He left the building and took to the streets. She felt the chill in the bones.
The bridge was deserted, only a few through the streets. He stopped and stared at the water flowing beneath her. That sent away all serenity. The heartbeat slowed down, put his bag on the railing and raised his arm. Something kept her from moving. A hand gripped her wrist.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;But that is fa, pazza?>> said the man who a moment earlier had shown a clenched fist in front of his face.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I Let it go, but you understand? I looked down there only>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Mi sorry then I misunderstood l'avevo seen crying and then that gesture… However, she is shaking it's too cold out here that we enter into bar, offer them something caldo>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;her, she gives me something? But if I'm fired, she should hate me for this>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Yes and I hated for this until a moment ago. She had a look of ice. As soon as I saw it I was afraid, did not seem to even one person, but now his eyes are alive. Now I noticed how beautiful>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Interaction sorpresa, caffè> accept a>.
The place was crowded but they managed to find a free small table, sat down and began to speak, he spent a good hour.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;And where she will spend the eve of Natale?>> asked the man.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;da sola, as dicevo, have been downloaded anch'io>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Then you can come to my house. My kids and grandparents will be happy happy to see that people attend to when she died ... my wife, I do not see any more>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I'll come. E 'for many years that do not celebrate Christmas in a family>>.
