The Apprentice: her graduation
She signed on for a three year stint,
only to be asked for two more.
Five is the minimum for all the
training you'll be getting was their reply.
Those rascals, the harbingers of evil.
Why the Hell did she ever ask for this job any way.
So she toiled for 364 days,
and one by one she had met her quota.
She met her production quota
after the second week had gone by.
An accomplice, rather a co-worker,
had given her a tip on how to make it all work.
From that day on she never missed a deadline.
It wasn't easy.
She would spend her eight hours a day
on the job and much of her off time as well
working like a dog.
Things seemed to be going well for her.
Her work was well received
by her supervisor and trainer.
Next week she would advance to full pay
and more than that perhaps
or a bonus of some sort.
At the end of that fateful day,
it was the last day of November,
she timidly approached her master.
"Well, how'd I do?" she asked,
"I'm ready now for
most any assignment you can give me."
The supervisor, with a twisted sad smile replied,
"My dear you are the best we have ever had
in our apprenticeship program.
The bad news is that we have no place,
no place for new journeymen workers at this time.
Please collect your pay on the way out.
And don't call us, we'll call you."
"Don't forget to turn in your apron."
Photo and Poem Copyright
© 2010 Jimmiehov
All Rights Reserved
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Prompt words, Apprentice, suggested by Irene at lost in translation
Find more poems at One Single Impression using "Lonely" as prompt
Thank you for this post Jim, :) I've been through it exactly the way you have described!! And what a coincidence it seems like my story retold though we have never known before :) Love the fun way you have put it. Now I am alright as my experience dates back many years ago :) but it just shows that some things never change even with time :D Still laughing over this post and I'm going to make my teenaged daughter read this as a lesson in life to be ready for and also a bit of my life which I had never explained or discussed with her. :D
ReplyDeleteIt happens and perhaps shall continue to happen..
ReplyDeleteBut then my own experience says that it is decided by the market.. recession would see such things happening a lot more.. good write this!
Hi Jim. Not around for sometime? How r u?
ReplyDeleteLiked your poem. Humorous yet touching. Sad but real.
"Don't forget to turn in your apron."
says it all.
Ouch. That is so sad, and unfortunately all to real.
ReplyDeleteA sad reality...you expressed it very well!
ReplyDeletepowerful,
ReplyDeletebest wishes....
love to see you shine here.
Happy Sunday, my friend.
ReplyDeletekeep it up.
hope to see you at our week 11 potluck tonight.
we are open Sunday, American central time 8pm and remain open until Wednesday 8am.
any poems are welcome,
linking in early would be of most beneficial to have your work read and commented by fellow participants.
Argh. Well crafted slice of life.
ReplyDeletedrat! what a sad story, so unfair...
ReplyDeleteThis is sad Jim, so sad. Much more when the finale words came like "don't call us, we will call you"! Is that so in your country?
ReplyDeleteThank God, I never had such a sad experience like that, I was kind of 'okay, you're hired', or they would send me a letter informing of a job i can have, or 'stay with us, you're an asset'!
Terrible but so often how it is. Loyalty should mean something.
ReplyDeleteShe did get her education, her training, and her chance for a great reccomendation. In this very bad economy she has a future now. Lucky her.
ReplyDeleteThank God she didn't go further down the road with this company before she found out this wasn't the ideal company for her.
She got paid during her training. and an opportunity to get a year of experience. It's not just education anymore, but experience that gets one hired.
yay- your are back this week!!! Excellent poem! So true, isn't it? That same story has happened to all of us or someone we know. Well-told! Happy Thanksgiving!!!
ReplyDeleteHi again~~~ I am the last one to tell ANYONE a way to spell anything (literally). Plus I am not a typist so usually my words are misspelled from that. So, any of the spellings of "yea" or "yay" or "yeah" can always work!!!
ReplyDeleteso sad ! but thank you for writing of this sad truth !
ReplyDeleteThis is so truthful Jim to what people are experiencing now, especially in this economy. Alot of the upstarts can relate. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thanks for your kind comments to my site. Take Care!
ReplyDeleteAwww... that was a rather painful ending!! Im very fond of this tone you sometimes take in your poems.. Been a long while, though... Missed your writing!
ReplyDeleteA harsh reality. I feel for young people striking out in this economy.
ReplyDeleteYou have a true gift for storytelling, Jim. Remembering some of your older poems written in this style--how moving they are. Have missed you at OSI. Hope all is well.