US Airways and Bill

I took Mallorie to the Charlotte airport today, for her flight on US Airways to New York. (She's spending two weeks with Geoff and Karla.) This was the first time I've been on "US Airways" property since being displaced...er, layed off.

Walking through the CLT airport, this time, was very different from all the other times I've been there. I never recognized the "superior attitude" I held previously, until I realized that I was just Jody Average Customer this time.
US Airways is no longer "my" airline and I'm no longer "their" employee. It was a very sobering day.

I did have a chance to chat with Bill Carey. For many years Bill and I worked together in Customer Relations. In an effort to remain with the company, he applied for and was promoted to a shift manager position. He left Customer Relations a week before the office closed. I hadn't seen him since. When he first walked up I didn't even recognize him! While he has lost a few pounds, what was most different about him was the lack of "confidence" you achieve when you've been at your job for several years. The whole "fish out of water" feeling was written all over his face, though he tried his best to cover it up. Bill and I have known each other for, well, a whole lot of years, and I know that he will get back that level of "confidence" he had in Customer Relations. It will just take him some time. Still, he looked great, albeit a bit tired. We talked about his job, my lack of a job, former co-workers and US Airways as a whole.

After ensuring Mallorie's flight had departed I said goodbye to Bill and left the airport. I was a bit sad on my drive home. I guess I hadn't realized how much I do miss US Airways. Say what you want about the company and it's problems, but I really did enjoy working for the airline. And I really miss Bill. Our lives seem so very different now.

Man, it sucks being displaced...er, layed off.