When the company owner barged in and abruptly fired me for wearing second-hand clothes, my world imploded. Little did I know, my co-workers were planning an act that would turn everything around and emphasize the true strength of our workplace community.
Never did I think that buying clothes from a thrift store would cost me my job. But life’s full of surprises, especially when you’re a single mother struggling to make ends meet.
It began like any other Tuesday morning. I was at my desk, taking calls and welcoming clients with my usual cheer. The office buzzed with its routine hustle — keys clacking, printers working, and the aroma of fresh coffee in the air.
Kate from HR peeked around the corner. “Hey Claire, how are the kids?”
“Oh, you know,” I chuckled. “Sophie’s engrossed in her science project, and Noah’s set on memorizing every dinosaur name.”
Kate smiled. “Sounds like you have your hands full.”
“Always,” I said. “But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Just then, the elevator chimed. The doors opened to reveal a familiar face I hadn’t seen in over a year — Victor, the company owner.
Panic surged through me. I quickly stood, smoothing my thrift store blouse. “Good morning, Mr. Harrison! Welcome back!”
Victor’s eyes narrowed at me, his expression hardening. “What are you wearing?”
I glanced at my outfit, puzzled. “I — ”
“Is this how you present yourself to our clients?” he demanded loudly. “In these… these rags?”
The office fell silent, every eye on us.
“Mr. Harrison, I — ”
“No excuses,” he interrupted. “A receptionist’s attire should reflect our brand. You’re terminated. Leave immediately.”
My world spun. “But sir, I’m a single mom. I can’t — ”
“Out!” he shouted. “Now!”
Tears stung as I gathered my belongings. Kate tried to intervene, but Victor silenced her with a glare.
The drive home was a blur. How would I explain this to Sophie and Noah? How would we survive? I unlocked our apartment door, and there they were — my little warriors.
Sophie instantly knew something was wrong. “Mom, what happened?”
I hugged them close, the smell of grape juice and play-doh soothing me. “I lost my job today, sweethearts.”
Noah hugged me tighter. “It’s okay, Mommy. We still love you.”
I stifled a sob. “I love you too, munchkins. So much.”
Tattoo addict inks 95 percent of his body, reveals what he looked like just 5 years ago
Tattoos are just one of many ways to express one’s individuality. While some people go with a little tattoo, others go all out, decorating entire body parts.
Tristan Weigelt, a 26-year-old tattoo apprentice covered in extreme body art, made headlines after showing what he looked like prior to using his body as a canvas.
The before photos were astounding.
Weigelt’s journey to covering 95 percent of his body in tattoos began when he was 20.
“It’s kind of weird looking at myself without all the tattoos,” he told the Daily Star.
“But funnily enough I still feel exactly the same as before on the inside.”
Out of all the tattoos, he said the most painful were the ones he got on his face and head, comparing it to being scraped with a metal brush.
“It was six full day sessions taking between five and six hours and the pain was probably an eight out of 10.”
While many people get a tattoo with a special meaning in mind, Weigelt said there are no hidden messages or meanings behind his body art.
After five years, Weigelt has spent $50,000 on tattoos.
For those considering a tattoo, Weigelt says, “Get what you love and what makes sense to you. I see so many people worried about a certain tattoo fitting them or it not being their style. If you like it – then get it.”
Wow. What an incredible transformation!
Would you ever consider getting tattoos on your entire body? I’m not sure I would.
Leave a Reply