Orphaned Islands (Un)poetry

Four university years passed in a pattern
quietly and quickly repeating,
Autumn,
enrolment, winter, spring, exams, summer ,
work
vacation work – funds for fees and fun.

The man of the interview asked for a start date,
then answered his own question – “ yesterday.”
The job
store in the mornings, issuing and receiving goods
deliveries in the afternoon –
“got a clean driver’s licence ?”
And
if quiet –
some painting needs doing. “ Sure.”

Time was amicable
the work amenable
the company casual and companionable
except
rumour said, the top two
general manager and managing director,
bitter rivals, ancient history, dislike on sight.

Still a summer soundtrack
top 40 and top weather
a season in the sun
notice given…. almost finished
when one last job,
the man who employed me said
go to car park
and paint over the managing director’s name –

Toast. Gone. Ousted,
Eight inches by four inches,
the only painting I did all summer.

In the 70’s, becoming the 80’s,
after Our Bodies Ourselves
after International Women’s Year
after Indira Gandhi,
Golda Meir
and Margaret Thatcher
they introduced themselves
as Dr, Professor and occasionally Mr.
they referred to their fellows
as Dr, Professor, or Mr
their title earned
not to be shelved
to be worn, to be burnished with use.
Accidental informality quickly revised
familiarity frowned at and corrected.
Except two women –
full professors both,
they weren’t entitled to title
even the service staff called them Jane and Carolyn.

The boss never told me to get rid of my assistant
didn’t express an opinion on the assistant’s performance.
She said, “the girls on the wards,”
thought standards on the weekends
didn’t match those of the weekday –
damned by faint praise.
Did she agree? … “I’m never here on the weekends,”
but
“ perhaps you could talk to the girls on the wards,
they might be able to help.”

The assistant was from last century – literally
different award – different conditions – unionised,
hired when private healthcare was boutique – cost plus – fat layered.
Extraction difficult, slow –
chess,
move and counter move.
Just when result thought draw
clear sky lightening
a mistake – checkmate – resignation – bloodless.

The boss asked to see me
apparently my assistant was leaving
needed to spend more time with her children,
“I’m surprised, I thought the job suited her
could you organise a card and present.”