The Surprise Begining

One week ago I was at work, minding my own business, when my phone rang. I answered it in my usual manner, expecting it to be a coworker or some such. Little did I know it was the start to a crazy adventure! The guy on the other end introduced himself as [so-and-so] from [someplace] in Alabama, and did I have a minute. I was incredibly confused as the only person I know in Alabama is my uncle, and he's currently in the far East. I didn't want to be rude however, so I said sure, I had a minute. Anything to break up the monotony of a Tuesday afternoon. At any rate we start talking and he's going on about how he's looking for somebody to fill this position, the job duties would be as such, and might I be interested? Now I'm scrambling, trying to think of who the heck he is and did I apply for something I didn't remember?? I started trying to pull up our company job search site to madly look through all the applications I'd put in over the last couple of months. None of them said anything about Alabama! Finally he tells me the title of the position and it matches one I'd applied to over a month ago. The status was "under consideration." Ok, maybe that's it. I opened it and read more carefully, wondering if I had just missed where it said Alabama. I wasn't sure if I felt relieved or concerned when I still didn't find any mention of Alabama, just "Southeast region of the country." As I finally decide that I had actually applied for the job I had suddenly found myself in the middle of a phone interview for, I realized that the guy on the other end was wrapping up the conversation. The whole thing was so out of the blue, so unexpected, I could barely form coherent sentences. He wanted an answer right then and there! I asked, with probably more than a little stuttering, if I could talk to my other half and sleep on it. He paused, like he wasn't expecting that, then said sure, and to call him the next day. This is about where my brain exploded.

I ran downstairs, well I didn't exactly run, I hurried downstairs looking for my other half. He wasn't at his desk. My "work husband" was there though, so I babbled at him while flapping my arms around. If he didn't already know for sure, he probably though I was a crazy person. After that I did my weird hurried shuffle-step that I do when I'm agitated over to my other friend's desk. She gave me a hug (I had been messaging with her while on the phone so she knew what was going on) and told me congratulations. I wasn't sure I deserved/wanted it. I was so torn, despite having had discussed just this situation with my other half when we first got word of major layoffs and I started applying to other projects. But actually getting a call made it all too real.

Suddenly faced with the prospect of being separated for two years, I sat down with my other half and his daughter at the dinner table. I explained to them, as much as talked through it for myself, what I'd be doing, approximately how long I'd be there, how often we'd see each other. My other half of course supported me 100% although insisted it was my decision to make. His daughter took it like the teenager she is and informed me that she didn't care. I'd like to think she cares, but that's a topic for another day. With my mind mostly made up, I went to bed.