Just when the growing circus seemed poised to close shop, it decided to pitch a bigger-better tent and reopen for business. I was happy, but, not too happy to be oblivious to what was happening around me.  Even while I marveled at how smoothly everything was going, I was observing certain subtle moves which promised very unsubtle results in the near future.  But, I was determined to enjoy this very selfish period of my life- down to the very last drop.  I’d earned my fresh start and so decided to ignore, for better or for worse, attempts to undermine my newfound freedom and peace.

The number of former co-workers from the R. Allen Stanford paper now working (openly and not so openly) for the online news company had struck seven or eight.  And, the number of calls placed to my phone expressing joy on leaving the old job behind and griping about this or that issue with the current employer grew to match. It was very much like the recent not-so-old times.

Old faces and voices saying the same old things and promising swift retribution if such and such a thing was not done to their liking. It was WORK- the same old soap opera. Except, of course, for the fact that I had new lines (most of them silent) and wasn’t afraid to use them. Back at the paper, when workers griped to me, I’d been an understanding soul, keen to think myself a part of the team. At the online news company, I accepted that I was not a part of any team.  I was different, freer and didn’t suffer the same issues or had the same gripes as the others.

With the arrival of a particular former co-worker to act as supervisor/manager/etc came the real move to whittle down the number of freelance workers in a bid to establish a full-time staff. In short time, certain freelance reporters were given their marching papers for one reason or the other. The young online news company had huge ambitions and, quite understandably, needed a stable staff to realize these ambitions.  While I understood the company’s needs, I certainly wasn’t going to be first in line to cave to that need.

I was still relishing the heady freedom of being a freelance writer- having no one master, working for whomever whenever I fancied and being paid well. I had promised myself that I’d stick to this path for a very long time and would only stray if I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse.  And, I’d made an oath that such an offer, which couldn’t be refused, had to be an entirely good offer with not one aspect which gave me cause for concern.

So…I waited for such an offer. It came.  It was quite the pretty verbal offer; it didn’t sound too shabby.  Initially, I was concerned that the gain would be all on the company’s end. I would be paid less while they earned more hours from me.  But, in the end, that was balanced out by other perks I was set to receive. If I accepted this offer...I was back to being with a team- back to being on stage having to listen to even more of the same old lines.

I spent some time re-thinking my anti-slave plan and mode. Maybe, having a master wouldn’t be all that bad. So, I asked for a written offer/ contract with certain specifications. I was thoroughly amused with myself. Just months after promising NEVER AGAIN, I was on the verge of being ensnared by a new master. It was time to brace myself for a new chapter in the life of a working girl….

Coming Next Tuesday: #28 This Happened….