I remember the radio was playing the best song. I hadn’t heard “Tongue Tied” by Grouplove since it first came out in 2011. It was my jam. I remember blasting the song on full volume in my car with the sunroof down and one hand up out the top. I remember feeling so free, like nothing could shake me. I remember this yet still, I turned the radio off immediately as I just wanted to scream or cry, or punch someone in the face. It’s safe to say this was not my best moment. Who can blame me though. I had just been broken up with and let go from my dream job all in a matter of an hour. Ugh! It still makes me cringe just thinking about it.

Now I know you’re probably wondering why and how this all happened to me within such a short period of time; and no, it’s not because I’m crazy. In order for you to get the full gut wrenching effect, you need to hear this from the beginning.

I met my ex fiance, Jack, in college. We were both studying Marketing at Duke University in North Carolina. Jack would always sit next to me and ask me questions that he knew I would know the answers to just so he could talk to me. What a dork! He would always grab my arm as fast as he could when the professor told us that we would be doing a partner project. Our relationship quickly moved from study buddies to best friends to dating. He always made me feel special, like I was the only girl for him. Each time we went out he would surprise me with something new about him. He always kept me on my toes. After graduation, we both landed jobs in Charlotte which was good because we wouldn’t have to do the whole long-distance thing. He would be working as a marketing coordinator for a sports magazine and I landed my dream job as the marketing manager for a regional clothing store. As youngsters in the business world though, we both worked exhaustingly long hours making it hard for us to see each other except for on weekends. But we both loved our jobs so this really wasn’t an issue...or so I thought.

My duties as the marketing manager for Cashmere Clothing Co. consisted of designing magazine ads, promoting specific new pieces on social media, and my latest project, designing a new logo. My heart and soul lived at the office. I never looked up at the clock to see how much more time I had until I was able to go home. I never was not excited when my boss gave me another project to work on. I never thought I would be let go.

The 1123 days that I worked for Cashmere Clothing Co. were the best 1123 days of my entire life minus the 1123rd day because that’s when my life sort of turned to shambles. I made so many lifelong friends, got to travel to NYC and Los Angeles for buyers markets, and met some really influential designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. I always said I was living in fashion heaven. It truly was a dream.

But October 24 the dream was crushed. My boss had come into my office to tell me that money was tight and that they needed to make some adjustments. That’s business talk for “we have to let you go”.  I was completely taken off guard. Just two days before I had pitched a brilliant idea to my boss to have a social media contest where people would take a picture wearing their favorite Cashmere Clothing Co. outfit and hashtag it to #cashmereclothingcofavs. The winner would get to chose any top they wanted for free. It is a brilliant marketing scheme. My boss loved it! Why would she let me go after a genius idea like that?

After she left the room, I packed up my things and ran out the door as quickly as I could. I was so embarrassed. I didn’t want my friends to see me so shaken up. As soon as I got into my car, I called Jack to tell him the news. He said he was sorry and then his voice got quiet. This wasn’t normal for him. I asked him what was wrong because I thought that maybe he was having a bad day at work, but he said that he “just [didn’t] think this [was] going to work out”. How could he do this to me! The same day I lose my job I also lose my fiance! My life was now rid of everything that was good. After I deliberately hang up the phone and throw it down onto the passenger seat beside me, I turn on the radio in hopes that music would take my mind off of things.  The nostalgic melody and “take me to your bestfriends house” lyrics came blasting through the speakers. I was not in the mood for such a happy and liberating song. I was sad and confused. Even though it was the best song, it had to go.