There once was a woman from Ireland
who worked in a toxic environment.
She wanted to leave,
but she felt too much fear,
so she stayed 'til she burnt out
from tiredness.
After some time she got her confidence back
found a new job
plastered over the cracks.
She had helpful new colleagues
no toxic managers to please.
She was smashing her goals
on a new track.
Then one fine day
came a knock on her door
"I've got an offer you cannot ignore.
I'll wine you and dine you. I'll show you around.
You're the most sought after agent in town."
"Freedom I'll give you
to name your price.
Four days a week?
Done. I'm here to entice
you into the role I dearly need to fill;
Worry not. I am certain your skills fit the bill."
"Sure send me the contract.
I'll give it a goo.
Though I can't promise anything
right now to you.
Your offer is lucrative,
that I'll admit.
I'm just not so sure I want to commit.
Two schools you have,
but you want me in one;
is that correct or have I misunderstood?"
"Yes, that is right,
though there might be a need
at times to move you between them you see
some people are leaving,
one woman is out. She's having a baby,
and has said without doubt
that she'll take the full term of time off to be
with her young one; a year's maternity."
In came the offer
- an open contract -
"You name your price,
I will not retract
the promise I've opened
the statements I've made
Come back to me within
the next three days."
She was excited. This was her dream.
Four days a week with a blank salary.
But negativity niggled, a "no" stirred inside.
Was she being hoodwinked,
buttered up to comply
to accept what a naive young woman
might see as the job of her dreams
an offer few would believe
you could get in your thirties,
fairly new to the game;
though she knew in her industry
she had made a good name.
"Not long ago, I set myself free
from toxicity, lies and underhand deals.
This guy has two roles he needs to fill,
He's already said I'll be moved at least until
that lady comes back from maternity
if she ever does...what is in store for me?
My instincts are screaming, just like before,
'Woman, don't do it! You said no more
you would put yourself through this.
Enough is enough.
This time, stick with it,
listen to your gut.'"
With grit in her heart and resolve in her head
she sent her reply, through a slight pang of dread.
"I am grateful to you for your time and the gift
of such an offer for which I could scarcely have risked
saying no to at one stage in my career
but today, I've decided I choose to steer clear
of management roles, of finance and sales,
My instincts nevermore will I derail."
Silence. One day. Two days
Three passed. Nothing.
She checked her junk folder.
Nada.
Silence, she thought, speaks volumes
Go me. He didn't even have the common courtesy
To send a reply, to acknowledge receipt.
She'd avoided an error,
seen through his deceit.
She'd heeded her instincts
for the first time in years.
She was proud of herself,
and very relieved.
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