Yesterday I absolutely was prepared to be dismissed quickly upon my resignation. But I'd offered to stay until the 10th and it was accepted, or so I thought. 

Today went great. 

I got a lot of work done, had a decent rapport with my boss, things seemed OK. It seemed as if my last week at work would be a good, positive, productive one. 

Then at the end of the day, after completing a new marketing project, my boss called me into her office and said, "Are you sure you want to quit?"

"Um, why?" I asked completely taken by surprise.

"It's just that I've written this e-mail to send to the board but I haven't been able to bring myself to hit 'send.' Are you sure this is what you want?"

Because today had been such a good day and because she'd handled my resignation so well the day before I actually had to think twice, but then I remembered quickly why I quit ... the breakouts, the guilt, the lack of benefits, support, etc., so I stuck with my initial decision. 

My boss seemed OK with it, but then dug through the pile of crap on her desk and pulled out an envelope with my name on it.

"The powers that be said to cut you a check since it was already the middle of the pay cycle ..."

"So, I'm not working until the 10th?" I asked.

"No."

I was absolutely floored - I'd never been asked to leave without fulfilling my two-weeks' notice, especially after we'd already discussed my staying another week. I actually started to tear up. 

So today was my last day of work at job No. 2 and I didn't even know it until the day was over. 

Now, I know since I'm the one who quit, this I guess could be seen as acceptable, and it would have been YESTERDAY, when I handed over my resignation. However, I feel like it was a little underhanded, as most other things this boss did to me while I was employed there, to make it a surprise. I didn't get to say goodbye to Margaret - my most favorite person in that entire organization and I was sort of absolutely counting on that last, FULL, paycheck. 

Even my boss at my other job was taken by surprise when I gave him the news. 

I'm not hurt, I'm not pissed off, I'm just surprised - surprised that a woman whose career is based on generosity, compassion and empathy had absolutely none for me - during my employment and otherwise. 

C'est la vie I suppose, I did my best, went out on a high note with all my work done and then some - I've left them with everything they need to get on without me. 

Onward and upward.