Goin' Down Swingin'

I got fired Tuesday.
   Rather, my contract was canceled but the difference is just semantics. And what did I do to get my contract canceled after just seven days?
   I sent an e-mail.
   Seriously. Not a rude e-mail, not an angry one, just a 'hello' e-mail introducing myself. I was working at a talent agency - maybe THE talent agency in town - over on the West side in Century City. The commute was terrible, an hour to go twenty miles, and the company atmosphere was intolerable. Really. A horrible place, as one of my friends who used to go to this company frequently for meetings warned me. The only reason I agreed to take this gig was to try to get my writing in front of someone there. Hence the e-mail, which was me introducing myself to a lady in charge of looking for stories. I don't know if she told someone that I tried to contact her or if they found out by monitoring my e-mail. Probably both.
   Evidently they frown on that sort of thing, at least from consultants working in the building. Who knew? I suspected something was up when I didn't get the e-mail asking what I wanted to order for our lunch meeting on Wednesday, and then on my way home I got the call that they were canceling my contract. I'm not broken up about it, I had been counting the days until Christmas break and counting the hours until it was time to go home every day. I didn't belong in that poisonous atmosphere in the first place.
   I've never been fired before. I was 'let go' because of the economy and corporate consolidation, which was more of a 'we don't have a spot for you now' kind of thing, not a termination for cause. Tuesday's cancellation wasn't really for cause either - I mean, seriously, one e-mail? - but I still got fired. I consider it a badge of honor and a point of pride. Kicked out of a den of vipers? I'll take that hit then stand up again in case they want to do it one more time.
   To tell you the truth, I'd rather go down swinging, fighting for what I want, rather than to keep a job at a terrible place just to be employed. If you're not failing you're not trying.
   I'm now 'between assignments' again. Drew Carey and The Price Is Right can now rest easy, know that I'll be back with them, at least for a little while.