PHOTO PROMPT © Rowena Curtin
These days she was feeling the heat. Her old boss kept claiming her ideas until he was promoted to division chief. The new boss, twenty years her junior, learned all he could from her then downsized her. A trickle of unemployment benefits were left and the headhunters could only offer positions for half her previous salary.
Her once rising star had ellipsed and was now a dark satellite plunging down at the whims of existential gravity.
She sold her condo at a tidy profit, loaded her SUV with essentials, and headed West. These days she’s a blackjack dealer in Vegas.
[100 days]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the host with the most of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
Great story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
:) Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure what the route to advancement for a blackjack dealer, but hopefully she’s happer
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think she decided to throw the traditional ladder away, Neil. I think she is, thank you.
LikeLike
happier, I meant
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, unfortunately it does happen and those in that position can’t do a whole lot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your comment, Trent. It’s commonplace in the cutthroat world of corporatocracy (sp?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Coroporatocracy! What an apt, stinking word is that! Great story. Has a ring of truth. Is it a true story?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Neel. Not my personal story but true for many.
LikeLike
Ha ha – good for her!!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLike
Vegas doesn’t seem like such a bad place to end up, with a steady job too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One of my old co-workers (back when I worked) said that’s what she wanted to do when she retired. She didn’t, but…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, such stories are sadly not uncommon, but I love this character, Lisa. A pivot to being a blackjack dealer speaks of a spirit and resilience that’s not going to stay down long!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great comment, Dora, you’re right!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe in the end she has a better life… at least it’s good to leave bitterness behind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree, and yes it is, Bjorn.
LikeLike
I am glad she shut the door on the past, and how her new career brings her happyness
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am happy for her also, on her new adventure.
LikeLike
A happy ending…and they have no one left to pilfer from! (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like how she moved on to something new and exciting. :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! I imagine she’s in a much better place now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This could very well be a true story these days…greed has overtaken companies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
For sure, Max. I just got home a bit ago. My mom is home and doing well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was going to email you and ask you…that is awesome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now that she’s feeling better she is back to her cantankerous self. lol.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I’m certain she’s a lot happier in her new environment. :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLike
A deep life story, so true and real in it’s feeling.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jude, thank you.
LikeLike
Always my pleasure Jade🙏🏾🧡
LikeLiked by 1 person
:) <3
LikeLiked by 1 person
She sounds like a winner to me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least she made a new start and ended up with a job. Hopefully the men who kept stealing her ideas were found out when it turned out they were actually rubbish without her help.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dr. Ali. That’s the thing, those kind always find fresh brains to suck on.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the smile to get my afternoon under way :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome :)
LikeLike
good for her. she learned to play with the cards she has been dealt with. :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great response, considering where she went :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lisa,
I hope she’s much happier. Having been a target for those corporate downsizers, I understand. Perhaps it’s time for me to tell the story of how someone got fired for saying, “Hunky dory.” Some of the crap they pull is mind boggling, isn’t it?
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle, I’m sure she is. I would like to hear your story about “Hunky dory.” Isn’t it ironic that the ones who say the truly harassing comments never seem to be let go?
Shalom,
Lisa
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, you brightened my day (not). Nicely crafted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Bill. Why the not??
LikeLiked by 1 person
So she played her cards right and got a better deal ;-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
:) You aced those guesses.
LikeLike
Good for her … she threw caution to the wind.
Sometimes, especially when you’re younger, you can
make changes to your life without too much stress.
Hope it paid off for her in more ways than one.
Be well … Be Safe
Isadora 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks much, Isadora. Question: are you also at #FF as Dora?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No 😳 I post as Isadora. There are some who refer to me as Izzy or Issy. It’s o k because that is a nickname used by people who know me. Hope this helps 😃 happy weekend 😃😍😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
OK cool, just wondered. Have a great weekend, yourself Isadora, aka Izzy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
👍 😃 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fun story😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Sue :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ground down again and again, I hope she finds happiness in Vegas. Good stuff
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Shrawl.
LikeLike
I’m glad she could be free from her past disappointments and on to a happier life (I hope). Sounds freeing. I found encouragement in your story. Nicely done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you much, Brenda. Your takeaways from it are right on :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the cynical voice you’ve found for your protagonist! Good luck to her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Penny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trent and I had a brief discussion about how easily people are discarded. Your story fits right in. Good for her for finding her own path, which will hopefully lead her to happiness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love everything about this story – except how it turns out for this person! Even then, blackjack dealer IS pretty cool. I bet she knows all about reading players. :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
:) Thanks much, Anne, I bet she does also.
LikeLike
Love your story.
LikeLike
Great story.
LikeLike
Sounds like she decided to play her own deck of cards instead of being played. Good for her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good way of putting it, Na’ama, yes she did.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gosh well that’s a career change for you. Well told.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Laurie.
LikeLike