Wishes come true, not free

So, it turns out that filing for unemployment is not actually as terrifyingly soul-sucking as applying for Food Stamps/Tenn Care...but only by the narrowest of margins.  

I have been doing without government assistance quite happily for many, many years now—and quite frankly, I resent having to go through this again.

Yes, I know that unemployment is an entire cauldron of fish different from Tenn Care/Food Stamps.  Yes, I know that there is nothing inherently shameful in needing, and utilizing the government assistance programs that my tax dollars have helped to finance.   

But the thing is, in my tiny little universe, government assistance is like anti-depressants.  A Good Thing (tm) for people to need it, possible to abuse, and Not For Me.  Because I am, you see, so much better/stronger/abler/whatever-er than that, and shouldn't HAVE to need it.

Yes, I know that this is a giant steaming pile of dragon dung, no need to point it out. 

Well, I had a bit of a nasty shock yesterday.

Yesterday was meant to be my day off -- when I got out of the shower, one of my dear friends and co-workers (who shall remain temporarily nameless, as I didn't get her permission to talk about her part of this) was in my bedroom.  

"What are you doing here?" says I, since I know she was supposed to be at work.  

"I got fired," says she.  Turns out her position at our company was eliminated, through no fault of her own.   She was offered a severance package, and sent upon her merry way.

"Well, THAT sucks," says I.

Then friend number A, gets a call on her cell from friend number B (who also works with us.)   Turns out she saw one of my fellow Ops Leads being escorted from the building with a box containing all of his personal items.    I am distressed, as even though he has the least seniority, he is not the Lead I would have voted off of the island.

Then I get a phone call from work.

Yeah...

The Ops Lead position was also eliminated.  All four of us got "let go" yesterday -- and lucky me, I got the axe over the phone, because it was MY DAY OFF.

This is NOT ON.