Confessions of a Call Center Gal - By Lisa Lim Page 0,120

at one time foreign to me.

It became my world.

I lived and breathed call center.

And now I know. Now I understand.

Riding down the elevator alone, all the memories come flooding back. The rare but occasional nice callers who’d brightened up my days, sweet old ladies who were so grateful and thankful for my help that they’d wanted to send me their home-baked cookies and homemade salsa, the tight-knit friendships that I’d built, the evil management that I’d tolerated, the QA bastards who I will forever despise, the calls—the good, the bad and the ghastly, and all the ones I’d tried to find humor in.

Oddly enough, even a vivid picture of my dingy six-by-six foot cubicle flashes before my eyes. It was my windowless space in this crowded place...and it shall always hold a special place in my heart, much like the people who work here.

Truong, Kars, Ingeborg and Mika—they were the best part of this job.

The elevator doors pings open.

Dazedly, I make my way toward the exit gates and Security Guard Adnan checks my box. I pass inspection.

“Bye, Missus Lee,” he says jovially.

I swipe my badge for the final time and hand it to him. “Bye, Adnan. Take care.”

The automatic glass doors swish open and I shuffle out.

Outside, I am relieved to see Mika leaning against the front fender of my car, James Dean style.

Just the sight of him soothes me.

Upon spotting me, a smile breaks over his face. And with long and quick strides, he is soon beside me. “You ready?” He gently pries the box from my hands.

My voice catches in my throat. “I’m ready.”

“I know.” He touches my hair and smoothes it back from my brow. “It’s like leaving a small chunk of your life behind.”

I nod and swallow hard, not trusting myself to speak.

It feels as if I’m leaving my second family.

“Hey...” he soothes, cradling my face between his hands. “Today is an ending, but it’s also a beginning.”

I rest my burning cheeks against his palms.

He’s right. I really should embrace both.

We walk in silence to my car.

He opens my door and I slide in, still subdued. After shutting the door behind me, he jogs over to the driver’s side and deposits my box onto the back seat.

Hunched over the steering wheel, he reaches for his keys and shoots me a sidelong glance. “You sure you’re okay?”

I smile warmly at him, letting him know that I am.

He switches on the ignition and fiddles with his iPod.

Seconds later, we zoom off and the music begins playing. It’s First Day of My Life, my favorite number by Bright Eyes.

Leaning back, I close my eyes, feeling the dampness on my lashes.

As the song gathers steam, I whisper languidly, “Mika...”

He squeezes my knee. “Yeah, babes?”

I lapse in and out of a semi-meditative state as the car bumps along potholes in the road. “I think I’ll write a book. I’ll keep on working at Ajon to help pay the bills, but writing a book is something I’ve always wanted to do.” After a thoughtful pause, I declare, “So I’m going to do it.”

“Do it,” he says, increasing the pressure on my knee. “Have you thought of a title?”

My lips fall into a lopsided grin. Prying one eye open, I tell him, “Confessions of a Call Center Gal.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Lim is the proud mom of two little girls and three rescue dogs. Lisa received a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and she is a former Technical Writer for a software company and Copy Editor for an IT publication.

Lisa is also an ex-call center gal. And during those Hellish years, she was the proud owner of a wireless headset. She is currently writing a sequel to Confessions.

If you enjoyed Confessions of a Call Center Gal: a novel, you might also enjoy My Mormon Crush, My Dog Eats Poo by Lisa Lim and Lucy Liew. My Mormon Crush, My Dog Eats Poo is a fun mix of politically incorrect South Park and Teen Lit. It’s a Young Adult novella that may also appeal to adults with a warped sense of humor.

“This novella is clever and the characters are fresh and jump off the page. If you enjoy reading Laurie Notaro, Chelsea Handler, or the woman from The Office, Mindy Kaling, you’re going to have fun with My Mormon Crush, My Dog Eats Poo.” ~ Chick Lit Central, Cindy Roesel (author and Emmy Award-Winning Broadcast Journalist)

“I cannot remember when a book made me laugh this hard. My Mormon Crush, My Dog