2

After someone took me out for lunch, me and the people of the department went to Dome for dinner to celebrate 0% dropped call performance, welcome dinner for the new girl replacing me and farewell dinner for me and another colleague of mine.

Before I left for dinner, my toilet buddy, who’s 18 years old, sitting in front of me now, who happens to be just a temp staff knew that we were going but then she was not invited and I guess she felt kind of left out. And I don’t like it when people feel left out, especially for a young girl like her. In order not to disappoint and to cheer her up again, I’ve decided to take her out for lunch tomorrow.

“Grace, janji ya? Saya tunggu kamu esok. Saya teringin sangat nak makan dengan Grace.”

I’m going to miss her a lot when I go. I seriously am. Am crying again now.

Besides going to toilet together, we go bancuh milo together too. Tell me how often would there be someone who would go bancuh milo with you in the office everyday?

During dinner, boss was telling us that he’s got another replacement who’s going to take over another colleague of mine who’s leaving.

“She’s going to join us end of next month. Her background is in IT.”

“Oh man, she’s going to end up like Grace!”

We laughed.

“That was why I asked her if she’s sure she wants to go into shipping. She was saying she’s not interested in IT and she wants to do something different.”

“Grace, did you get that question when you attended the interview?”

“Nobody asked me that question also.”

They laughed.

Boss then said, “HR told me you didn’t want to come for the interview, right?”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to come at all but they told me to try so I try.”

“You’ve been here for one year plus, that’s an achievement isn’t it?”

I nodded.

I’m known as the girl who didn’t want to come for the interview. Whenever the HR executive bumps into me, she would remind me of the day I turned down the interview invitation. I don’t know what she sees in me but she was the one who helped me in. I know I didn’t do really well in the interview because the first stupid thing that came out of my mouth was “I don’t know” when she asked me if there’s anything that I would like to ask.

I mean “I don’t know” is not the kind of answer you give during an interview. Instead of me looking for a job, she was actually talking me into going for the job. The manager itself wasn’t convinced to take me in, telling the HR executive that I’m quiet.

But she managed to convince the manager and so from being very reluctant, I tried to give myself a chance to do something I’ve never expected myself to do. I was scared but slowly I started to enjoy it. I thoroughly enjoyed my first few months. Learning curve was quite steep but I like it when I get to learn something new. Learning something new everyday excites me.

Even though now that I’m leaving, I think I’ll always remember that interview, the HR executive, my boss, the colleagues, the people that have helped me and the people that I have helped.

There is so much joy in helping. There are many shits out there for you to clear and for you to solve and the joy doubles when you manage to clear these shits. And I know not everyone is willing to clear those shits. People may be rough but there is always a reason why they are rough. But it doesn’t matter what the reason I guess for as long as you’ve played your part to make their life a little smoother, they will remember.

So, who knows? I might be doing Customer Service again in a different way, not the Call Centre kind but I don’t know. We’ll see. One must only work in a call centre once. For me, once is enough.

“Grace, when you start work at the new place on the first day, send us an email to tell us how you’re doing.” Boss said.

Why are people so nice one? Want to make me cry only.