HOWEVER. I should have taken the article I read on the plane to be a sign of things to come—it was a blurb in the entertainment section about Janet Jackson launching a clothing line. They mentioned she planned to try for a baby at the end of her tour—with her partner Jermaine JACKSON! That’s her friggin’ BROTHER! Oh dear.
Then I began to get those little nasty surprises as the days went by.
So I won’t even count the delay in the guest quarters being ready as the first nasty surprise but this is—3 days after my arrival I bop into the office of the executive director, the one person I ‘know’ here. Over the months preceding my trip, we had established a good rapport during the pretty easy negotiation period. On this Thursday, we exchange pleasantries, chatting amiably. Long minutes into the conversation he CASUALLY informs me it’s his LAST DAY!!! Oh-ho, the Bird was blown. But I tried to roll, keeping the rising panic out of my voice as I queried him about his new position. He knows my contract & all the extra little things I negotiated that didn’t make it in but is in the emails. Oh crapola, wha’ have happened??!!!
He also mentioned something like a team building workshop had been scheduled from the 15th-19th & it could be arranged that I accompany them for a nice relaxing trip. I nod, grinning stupidly. HEY WAIT! YOU'RE UNDER CONTRACT UNTIL THE 20TH, WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR MONEY??!!! my thinking mind screams but I'm too busy grinning stupidly because I'm not exactly sure what he said.
But I was sure he sincerely promised there would be an internet connection in the permanent guest house! Panic rises, it's at my throat.
‘Oh Bird just chill, ita be ok.’
But, unbeknownst to me, in that moment the honeymoon was sooooooo ovah!
