Dropped by the old office today...

[GalaxyBoy]

It was quite unintentional. I decided today that since DW was running around doing errands and I was on my own for lunch that I would go downtown (such as it is in my quaint little city) and eat at the Indian restaurant I used to frequent. DW won't touch the stuff and I love it.

After stuffing myself at the buffet I decided to take a brisk walk to try to make up for the excess calories. I briefly ran into a couple of ex coworkers and that was nice. Later, as I was starting the truck to leave, I got a text from a closer coworker saying he spotted me from a distance and invited me up to their new office. Turns out what he really wanted was to talk about ER, but that's beside the point.

The old Megacorp branch office I left almost two years ago had moved to much nicer accommodations, and had grown from about 25 to 40 heads. I made the rounds of the nickel tour, stopping to greet some nice familiar faces while marveling at the number of unfamiliar faces in so short a time.

But I couldn't help but feel a little knot start growing in the pit of my stomach. The new digs had new furniture, but it was still that trendy open office with low partitions, just higher than the level of the desks. As we walked past the workspaces I noticed several people on phones tapping their earpieces as we walked by to let us know we were too loud. Oh, do I remember that! I also couldn't help but overhear a couple of conversations about projects and how this or that was going wrong, or the client was demanding something or other on short notice. A meeting was starting and folks were hurrying to a conference room.

I don't think I'll drop in there again! It was nice to see some people, but just being in that environment made me feel like the walls were closing in again.

 

[clobber]

Next time, do the walk first and see if people will join you at the Indian restaurant. Good people, no walls!

 

[footenote]

You are wise: revisiting
the past is
unnecessary and unpleasant

 

[gerntz]

You did what?

 

[aja8888]

Did you get any _______ on you while you were there?

 

[Bamaman]

We had a bunch of guys (and gals) who worked together, and we often traveled all over the region. Had some great times eating and drinking big on the company credit card.

After the company closed our regional office and consolidated jobs (where no one wanted to live), everyone retired. That was just about the last time any of the guys ever talked to each other. I'll call around once per year, and nobody has talked to anyone else.

And everyone goes their own way in retirement.

 

[RobbieB]

And nobody (except you) really cares if you live or die.

 

[Ronstar]

Yep - don’t drop by the old office. Odds are that the visit will stir up bad work memories or invigorate an unwanted response from someone that is not happy that you showed up. Call, text or email former coworkers if you want to have contact with the old workmates.

 

[Mdlerth]

In RE, I plan to think about w*rk all the time... NOT!

I suspect I won't ever return to a previous w*rkplace once I clock out for good. For one thing, I'll be moving to my retirement house an hour away. Out of sight, out of mind.

Mostly I will miss the stories of employee misbehaviors. Some of the tales of what people - allegedly grownup people - will get up to are absurdly funny. I've heard about shenanigans I could never make up on my own. I'm hoping to remember the best ones so I can include them in a novel for authenticity.

 

[timo2]

Yikes. I have nausea just thinking about returning to any office I ever worked in. Or any college, or high school also.

 

[Jerry1]

I don’t like going back to the office. I’ve done it twice for a couple of parties. However, I worked at megacorp for almost 25 years. There are people there I don’t have any interest in, some I have a passing interest in and some I actually care about and am friends with. I have met people for lunch and breakfast, I went for drinks with the management team after the holidays. I imagine I’ll end up on the golf course once or twice a year with a few of them.

I don’t let the conversation focus on work. They can’t help it, but they get it and try to talk about the rest of their lives when I’m around. They’re a good group. I’m thankful to know them. They were never the problem with work. I hope it stays that way for awhile to even forever, but I unfortunately agree, it’s unlikely. People drift apart after retirement. This past year has been good in this regard. We’ll see what the next few years bring.

 

[njhowie]

I have a few old colleagues who I've stayed in touch with over the years since leaving megacorp. One is still at "my" megacorp, the others have moved on to other megacorps. Every year I make a few treks in to the city specifically to get together with and have lunch with each of them.

Invariably, the one at "my" megacorp invites me up to see the remainders of our gang. As folks I know see that I'm there, each comes over and joins in the discussion, is interested in what I've been up to, tells how terrible things are, and comments on how good I look and how I'm so stress free.

On the train ride home, I count my blessings and simply cannot imagine how I was able to put up with it all, day after day for so many years.

Life is good!

 

[Focus]

Just reading your thread title made me shudder.

 

[Nick12]

After 4 years of college and then joining the corporate world many moons ago, I would have nightmares for a year or two and wake up during the night dreaming about all night exam study sessions and the intense workload I had at school. Working for the last 3 decades there have been many nights I would have restless sleep at times thinking about work. After retiring early last year, have not been back to visit the rat race, and my rest and sleep have been much better.

 

[Bir48die]

I live very close to my old company's headquarters (great when I commuted). I still have many friends there. They have an outlet store that I get a nice discount in that's attached to the offices. I make a point of not popping in and saying hi. I know there are a number of people that would like to see me however it is my philosophy that once retired the cord needs to be cut. Many I worked with don't understand that but I'm in a different place and enjoy the separation.

 

[LOL!]

I see folks from my previous job regularly. I am going to lunches twice this week with former colleagues who are friends of mine and invited me out including my former boss. I have no problems visiting the building I worked in and talking to everybody there whether they knew me or not. Even the custodian and CEO are friends.

It is a shame that a place that some of you probably spent a significant portion of your life at churns your stomach so much. It should not be that way. And it never was for me.

I post this to present an alternate point of view for the young people reading this. Life is good; life was good. If your life isn't good now while working (or retired), then change it. Don't become one of those folks who shudder thinking of the past.

 

[MRG]

I went back for lunch once a week till we moved out of the area. This was with long term folks, I enjoyed their company. I still chat with them now. The facility was secure so I couldn't get inside, but I didn't want to.

I had one great run in with a prior VP. He wasn't part of my fan club, I didn't look like the people he valued. After I lost a lot of weight he saw me, chatted for a while. I got a big kick over the fact skinny me would have been accepted better. I knew he was like that, all about looks not substance.

 

[Music Lover]

I see folks from my previous job regularly. I am going to lunches twice this week with former colleagues who are friends of mine and invited me out including my former boss. I have no problems visiting the building I worked in and talking to everybody there whether they knew me or not. Even the custodian and CEO are friends.

It is a shame that a place that some of you probably spent a significant portion of your life at churns your stomach so much. It should not be that way. And it never was for me.

Same for me. I grew up in an office (started at 19) and developed many significant friendships that continue to this day, almost 3 years after retirement. We played sports together, went to each other's weddings, etc. The people that were just office friends disappeared after retirement but the real friends have remained.

 

[Souschef]

The only time I even think about my old w*kplace is when I fly over it returning from an Angel Flight mission.
I say to myself, I wold rather be here than there

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

We have an informal alumni group of former newspaper editorial staffers that meets a few times a year for food and drinks. It's always a jovial time. One or two people who are still at the paper often drop in to share some shop talk. The news is seldom good.

I stopped in at the newsroom once when I happened to be downtown several years ago. People barely had time to look up from their desks.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Turns out what he really wanted was to talk about ER, but that's beside the point.

Beside the point? Uh..well, I am curious. What did he want to know and were you able to help? After all, this IS ER.org...


The airplanes that fly over the house on occasion with former co-w*rkers is close enough for me.

I remember a number of years ago when a co-w*rker retired, he continued to come into the office 2 or 3 times a week to "be social". It was funny at first, and we harassed him but eventually he became a nuisance and a distraction. One morning when he came in, he saw at his old desk (was still unoccupied) there was a note from the commander telling him that he couldn't come in anymore and to stay away. It was really kinda of sad, in more ways than one.

 

[braumeister]

 

[Tailgate]

I feel you!

Out of the w*#kforce for 4 years. Moved an hour away to active retirement community. Superbowl Sunday we cooked for 50 neighbors at our home and had a blast.

I have 3 or 4 former coworkers that are on FB with me. Other than that, only one I maintain semi-regular contact with for lunches, etc. I was invited to a shindig at the old w*#kplace a year into retirement. Gave me the willies just being in the building.. won't go back. Didn't hate the job, but I was the boss over 70 people and the boss doesn't have too many close friends at w*#k. Sometimes I felt like I was running an adult daycare.

BTW, our of the 50 friends at our bbq Sunday, I can identify the former occupations of no more than a handful. It just isn't part of the conversations in retirement. Is that the way it is for anyone else?

 

[Focus]

It is a shame that a place that some of you probably spent a significant portion of your life at churns your stomach so much. It should not be that way. And it never was for me.

I post this to present an alternate point of view for the young people reading this. Life is good; life was good. If your life isn't good now while working (or retired), then change it. Don't become one of those folks who shudder thinking of the past.

Sometimes, it's out of your hands. I've stayed in touch with a few former co-workers, but they've all left the company. One of the reasons I shuddered is because company morale has declined sharply in the years since I retired. I can't imagine a visit being anything other than awkward and depressing, especially since most of the people I knew best are gone.

 

[Nick12]

I feel you!

Out of the w*#kforce for 4 years. Moved an hour away to active retirement community. Superbowl Sunday we cooked for 50 neighbors at our home and had a blast.

I have 3 or 4 former coworkers that are on FB with me. Other than that, only one I maintain semi-regular contact with for lunches, etc. I was invited to a shindig at the old w*#kplace a year into retirement. Gave me the willies just being in the building.. won't go back. Didn't hate the job, but I was the boss over 70 people and the boss doesn't have too many close friends at w*#k. Sometimes I felt like I was running an adult daycare.

BTW, our of the 50 friends at our bbq Sunday, I can identify the former occupations of no more than a handful. It just isn't part of the conversations in retirement. Is that the way it is for anyone else?

+1 / after retiring our conversations with fellow retired folks have little or nothing to do with work or our former occupations.