On my own and all alone - Part Three

Part One:  http://activerain.com/blogsview/645303/On-my-own-and

Part Two: http://activerain.com/blogsview/645405/On-my-own-and

So, five days to clean out my desk.  My poor husband is probably having a nervous breakdown running his fishing charter right after getting off the plane.  I run a few errands and head back into the office.  Of course, the tension is in the air, and every gives me a blank stare and goes silent I walk in the door. 

After quietly packing a few boxes, I just cannot stand it another moment.  I go to Larry's office and ask if he has a moment, and he does.

"That went a little different than I expected.  I've got to tell you a few things.  I respect you more now than I did when I got out of bed this morning.  I've learned a lot from you in the last six years, and I want you to know that our relationship means a lot to me.  When I left my last office, it wasn't like that."

He says:  "I am going to really miss you around here.  You are easy to talk to.  But I am looking forward to seeing you at the broker's meetings because I think you will bring a lot to the table.  I don't want this to be a negative experience for you, and I hope we will always continue to be able to work together".

WOW.  I'm almost speechless.  (That doesn't happen very often!)

We talk a while, and I want to let him know a few of the things I've learned from him. 

I've only witnessed Larry losing his temper four times.  I've been told it has happened more than that, but it's a pretty rare occurrence.  What I've learned is that when you don't do it every day, people stand up and take notice when you do.  If you scream and shout and make everything a drama, people eventually go numb and don't even pay attention.  I hate drama.  That's why God didn't give me girls.

Another thing I've learned... one time that anger was directed at me.  I fell apart, and I didn't even try to defend myself I was so shocked and surprised.  I struggled with emotion for quite some time, and after about an hour, decided to go home.  I was going to think about it overnight and approach him in the morning - if I came back at all.  However, in that period of time, he'd learned what had really happened was not what he'd thought had happened, and was sitting quietly in thought.  I didn't know and was trying to leave.  His voice cracked when he said my name, and he asked me to come into the office.  I closed the door, looked at my hands and tried not to cry.  He told me what he'd learned.  He spoke softly, earnestly, and his voice was so gentle and humble.  He was also sitting there, struggling with his own emotion.  He asked me if I would forgive him, please.  Something was in his eye.  I continued to look at my hands, quietly said "It's okay" and he said, "No it's not", and I said let's both just forget.  We did.

It takes a big man to say he's sorry, and they'd better be pretty convincing for me to believe them.

I'm going to miss working with Larry, but bigger dreams lie ahead!