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Writing inspired by the following SWC prompts:
‘I Quit!’
Your character quotes their job in a dramatic scene and walks out. Describe the day after, the first day of their new life.
I Quit!
by Michaela Fricek
‘We care so deeply for you. You are an excellent teacher. However, the fact that two students have threatened to jump out of the window within a week must have something to do with you. We’ll send you to the public health officer. He will determine whether you are fit for work. In the meantime, it would be best if you went on sick leave immediately.’
Andrina just heard these words, while she was observing the cracks in the ceiling. She could feel the air almost suffocating her. Apart from her, the inspector, the director and the staff representative were in the room. She didn’t even want to look at the staff representative and just felt her fake loving smile.
‘We’re very worried, you’re important to us, look after yourself.’
‘There’s something wrong with you. You need time for yourself now.’
All these words echoed around the room.
‘I don’t even know why I had to go to this meeting and not the students,’ Andrina thought. ‘And then they apologised and said they had no suicidal intentions. I’m not going to let that hang around my neck. Just so that our school is whitewashed.’ The knot in Andrina’s stomach got bigger and bigger. She felt the sweat running down her back, accompanied by a shiver and shock about so much hypocrisy. The voices got more and more annoying.
She stood up and assumed a high-status position that she knew from improv theatre workshops. ‘I hate all of you, from the very bottom of my heart. Especially you, who pretend to be an open-minded headteacher. Your face and your so-called care are simply fake. And you, Benito, as a staff representative. Do you think you’re really helping me? You didn’t do anything to stop me having to go to this meeting in the first place. And from an inspector, I do not expect anything better – you are simply doing your job. Fuck you all. I quit.’
In slow motion, she could see herself making her way to the door.
The staff representative gave her a pitying look and she saw that the headteacher was shaking, but was still putting on a good face. The blond secretary with very long gel nails, who looked a bit like Mrs Knackerl from an Austrian TV series, stopped her.
‘What’s this Punch and Judy show?’ she asked. ‘Firstly, you’re supposed to be more submissive in front of the inspector. And secondly, I’m sure you’re not serious.’
‘Of course, one woman one word. This whole system reminds me of what my grandma used to say: The Lord God has a big zoo and I am very well aware that there are “special” friendships here. This meeting was long ago planned behind my back.’
When Andrina left, she felt extremely relieved. ‘This was a hard-core situation. All these fake personalities. How happy and lucky I am that I will never ever work for them any longer.’
Her husband, who was working in home office, was surprised to see her that early. ‘Everything all right?’
‘Yes, I handed in my notice.’
‘Are you mad. You have just one year to go for retirement. You are losing a lot of money. No way, you are going to do that.’
‘I didn’t marry you to have you make decisions for me. I make them myself,’ Andrina said and opened the living room window to feel the cool winter air.
‘You do what you want anyway,’ Joe said.
Andrina woke up the next morning with a taste of freedom on her lips. She had finally been able to get a good night’s sleep and was not as tired as she had been on previous days.
‘How nice it feels not to see all these people anymore,’ she thought. ‘Day you are all mine. I will seize you.’