When Opportunity Knocks

- Pippa Newnton

I’m sorry to tell you but Head Office has decided to close our branch,” he said.

Karen and I looked at each other in dismay. He tried to reassure us that it wasn’t immediate.

“They have to give us a reasonable period of notice,” he said, “and there will be a redundancy package.”

Twenty years of sitting behind a desk looking longingly at the sight of the sea pounding against the rocks of our seaside town through the windows of our office. Talking to customers – we knew them all – Mrs Tompkins coming to deposit her savings and have a limitless chat, Mr Rowland drawing his allowance. What would they all do when we were gone? The nearest branch was twenty miles away.

“Liz, what shall we do?” Karen asked me, looking completely shattered as we returned to our desks.

I put a comforting arm round her shoulder. We had known each other for all this time, feeling secure in our jobs, acting almost like sisters.

I knew what I wanted to do… but to her, it must feel like the end of the world.

“This is a new beginning, a chance to do something that will help others,” I said gently.

“But what?” She looked doubtful.

“When one door closes another opens,” I said. “You’ll see.”

I sat looking out of the windows. Living in a seaside town you were always conscious of the water. It had its changes, its moods. Like a living thing, it could be calm, rough and sometimes dangerous.

I loved the sea, and inside I was already jumping for joy. I knew what I wanted to do. With the redundancy package I wouldn’t have to rush into anything… but perhaps I could carry out my dream.

I went home feeling as though I had been given a new lease of life.

When Tom came back that evening,I had collected the kids from school, made a meal and greeted him with a kiss.