A Sign of the Times

I knew it was only a matter of time before a wrench got thrown into my "plan".The company I work for is,for lack of a better word,downsizing.The oil and grain industries as you know have taken a huge hit from the current economic downfall.The company that employs me has been kind enough to keep me on as long as they could I suppose.I'm not exactly a high priority on their list of people.I have yet to receive word of being let go,however the signs are everywhere.Currently in the company shipyard we have four boats at the dock with no work.The crews,over the last few months,have been taken down to "skeleton" crews.This means only essential personnel are kept on board.This has turned into people being sent home early,kept home after they are due back and now getting the letter in the mail that says thanks for your hard work now kick rocks.I have yet to be screwed with.My schedule has stayed the same,I have gotten to know many of the office workers and the owners over the last month.I don't want to go home because I don't know when they will bring me back that's the bottom line.I'm due off next Wednesday and unfortunately my Grandmother passed a few days ago.I had to make the horrible decision to stay on the boat rather than leave early to go to the funeral.This,in my eyes,is a ticket to hell.Unfortunately giving the office a reason to lay me off is a direct ticket back to being jobless and eating corn every night for dinner.Yes I did that for a few weeks,it's possible but not fun.So I can only hope that my family will understand that I'm not proud of this decision however I think my Grandmother would understand.With no job I'm worthless and not a happy person.There is a good chance that even though I'm fulfilling my obligation to work that I will still be kept home.Only time will tell if I get to come back to work and if I have made the right choice.