A New Job

A proposal at just the right time...

Max wanted out.

The job he now performed was no longer exciting, no longer riveting and full of stories.

“Thirty-two years down the drain,” he thought.

Sure, he kept his customers satisfied and he had a steady stream of them for a variety of reasons, but deep down he was miserable.

At his age, cross-training into something more meaningful or enjoyable was not entirely out of the question, but more difficult than when he was 30 or even 40.

“I’m not sure what I should do here,” Max told a colleague, Richard, over the phone. “On the one hand, business is booming, but on the other, I can’t get myself up in the morning to do what I’ve only known to do all my life.”

“You could try programming,” Richard said, playfully touting the current cultural meme of being unemployed.

“Not funny, Rich,” Max said. “I’m serious. I just want to give it all up and run away, away from the business, away from this town, away from life.”

“Why don’t you? Would you retire? Surely you could sell this place and retire somewhere. Would you just go live a solemn life on the beach somewhere, wiling away your time doing absolutely nothing?”

“The thought has occurred to me. I’m just tired of the jokes and creeped out looks people give me. Early on, I got used to it, but after 30 years, it’s disrespectful. It gets old, know what I mean?”

Max and Rich discussed Max’s situation more but came to no resolution. Rich was in the same profession, but was still learning the trade with only 10 years of experience. He, too, had experienced the disrespect and crazed looks when he told people what he did, but ignored them because the work paid very well, and fewer and fewer people wanted to do it. In fact, he had a hard time finding people to work for him at a handsome wage.

Rich hung up the phone and thought about the conversation. He was living the lifestyle no one in his family had ever lived before. He lacked for nothing except companionship. Any potential marriage material was creeped out and never returned his calls after The Reveal. He counted six eligible ladies that ditched him that way.

Either he needed a new Reveal line or a new profession; one was much easier than the other.

His smart phone rang.

“Reichart’s Funeral Services. How may I help you?”

“Yes, Mr. Reichart, my name’s Leslie Thomas and I own a funeral service on the other side of town. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?”

“Yes, Miss Thomas. I certainly have heard of you. After all, we are competitors, so to speak.”

She sighed and said, “Well, Mr. Reichart…”

“Call me Rich.”

“Well, Rich, I was wondering if perhaps we could get together for coffee some time to discuss our mutual business interests.”

“Funny you should call just now, Miss Thomas. Call it fate or coincidence or what have you, but I was just talking to someone in another State about that a few minutes ago. I’d love to have coffee some time. Today wouldn’t be too soon either. We certainly need more…er, collaboration and open discussions in our profession.”

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