Page 124 - Firehouse Pond

On my final day, as I finished packing the few personal items for my

departure, the phone rang. It was the computer lab supervisor. She was no
longer working at the lab. She was working for a separate division of the
software seller. It turns out they also had a training division and she was

training for them. A bunch of computer geeks out to make a buck – it was
successful; very successful.

That phone call would change my world! The caller was getting promoted to

manager and needed trainers for the software that I was highly proficient in.
It was a match and I could keep my company. We sealed the deal over lunch.

I specialized in training the spreadsheet and word processing software. I was
sought after to train the Senior Partners in several prestigious Washington,
D.C. law firms. I taught at the World Trade Center in New York, and I taught

at the World Bank. It was a special time. I met many special people.

I was operating my own successful business and contracting my services.

Life was good and about to get better. I was at the top of my game again. Or
was I?

A Do Not Disturb Policy leads to a promotion. I had accepted the training

position with only one condition; I was not to be disturbed once a class
started.

One morning, my supervisor crossed the Do Not Disturb line. She entered
my classroom and informed me that she would finish teaching my class. I
was wanted, in her office, by the owner of our company.

He liked my teaching and my management style. I was offered and I
accepted the job as Regional Manager for six of the twelve training centers he
had established throughout the United States. I had responsibility for eastern

regional centers. My counterpart had responsibilities for six centers in the
west.