Workplace memory

I saw a name in the obituaries yesterday that I recognized.  The age seemed about right and so did the location.  There wasn’t any information about this person, so I’ll never be sure it was the same person that I knew.  All I have are my memories of this person.  I used to work at the same place she did.  I had a part-time clerical job.  I was trying to re-enter the workforce after having two children.  The business was close to home so I thought it would work out.  And it did – for a while.  The company had been purchased by someone who eventually ran the business into the ground.  It got so bad, people were calling constantly demanding their money.  Employees rushed to the bank the minute they received their paychecks because we never knew if the check would bounce.  And this now dead person was, well, difficult.  She worked there during happier times.  She ran the office and now she was being pushed aside and ignored.  And her behavior matched her unhappiness.  She became difficult to work with.  I can remember one time I was in the main office answering phones while everyone else was in a meeting.  The meeting had been going on much longer than anticipated and I had to go to the bathroom.  So I did.  And when I came out of the bathroom, she began to yell at me because I left the phones.  Which was ridiculous.  I wasn’t gone that long and the world had not collapsed.  But she was livid.  I know she was just projecting her misery.  A month or two later, I finally left for good.  I don’t have any great memories of that place or her.  But seeing her name in the obituaries made me wonder how she died and if she ever found happiness after that crappy business went under.  I hope she did.