Where have all the flowers gone?

When my Flight Attendant training class graduated last May 1, we had 33 people in my class. Even if you don't particularly like a person in your class, you have some sort of bond that makes you genuinely happy to see them when your paths cross. And, you are sad when you hear that one has left the job, whether it was their choice or not.

My company has a one illness in six months only while on probation policy. That meant that had I gone back to work earlier this month after my foot injury cleared up, then discovered the tumor on my ovary and had to have surgery, I would have been fired. Fortunately, it was discovered while I was already out with the foot injury.

Others have not been so fortunate. Some quit, some resigned. Some just never came back.

"K" was let go after not receiving a phone call from the Crew Desk. Her cell phone company had taken down two towers in the middle of the night for maintenance--and she did not get the call. After she found out, she even was able to get a letter from the cell phone company describing the actions that prevented her phone from working that night. Still, combined with a previous late show for work, she was let go.

"T" had been out with strep throat in June. In July, she decided to go to Toronto to a Caribbean Festival. Weather ensued, and she was stuck for three days, not being able to get home. Fortunately, she was already looking for another job and had it lined up when the airline said "bye bye" to her....

"S" just decided it wasn't for her and called out sick. And called out sick. And called out sick. And called out sick. She is probably still calling out sick--and has no intentions of ever coming back. It just wasn't for her.

"K" quit to join the Army. Yep, you heard me. She quit to join the Army. Her short stint as a Flight Attendant didn't produce the love of her life that would pay for everything for her, so she quit. I doubt seriously if she actually joined the Army, that's just what she told people.

"J" got a better paying job at Georgetown University--good for her!

"S" was trying to commute to work from Philly to Washington, DC and the flights were oversold. With no seats available, buh-bye....

"M" readily admits she just showed up at the wrong time. Told to be at work at 1845 (6:45 p.m.) ...her brain translated 18 to 8 and showed up two hours late at 8:45 p.m.

"H" just couldn't get it together and had too many sick calls.

"J" ended up getting a DUI--which made him miss a trip, and they fired him. I suppose it was because he was drinking within the time limits of the company. The good news is that he went to rehab, and had a choice to stay there or leave, and he chose to stay. He is so young, I hope this ends up being a huge wake-up call and he gets his life on the right track.

There are a couple others, but there are only 20 of us in the original class left. So, when we run into each other at the airport, it's a big deal. We have just moments to catch up with where our next trip is taking us, how our lives are, and oh, did you hear what happened to.......