When you got me fired
for gross negligence
and grosser incompetence
I never thanked you.
I was a bad employee
and deserved to be fired, sure.
But I also deserved a better job.
I was not meant to be your office drone
or anyone’s.
I was meant for something different.

Your letting me go
left me the necessary opportunity
to look for something different
something better
something that suited my specific skill set
no matter how narrow that was
at the time.

I should have thanked you
then
for freeing me
from the day to day
and allowing me
to pursue finer pursuits.

I should have thanked you then
but didn’t
which I regretted for some time after.
I am past that particular regret
now
since I’ve become homeless.