Your Job or Your Family

My parents retired and were spending a year abroad. My mother was having a brutal time of it since she uprooted her life of 20+ years living in a small town. She and my father had left close friends and family, so they were very lonely.


I was at a brand-name start-up for about a year (a company most of you have probably read much about). I was under the impression I was doing well: I had received good feedback, launched a large product that was more complex than the start-up's usual offerings, it received great press, and the early clients were quite happy.


I made a promise to my parents that I would visit them during their trip. I told everyone at the start-up about this, repeatedly. I would go for three weeks and work remotely. I mentioned this plan both in passing and on the company's message board at least six months ahead. Everyone seemed fine with this, with nobody raising any objections that I was aware of.


But the day I posted the flight dates, it seemed nobody listened. One of the co-founders brought me into a room and said things weren't working out and told me to shape-up or ship-out. Apparently, I needed to either quit or spend 30-days getting re-hired.


I suggested that, perhaps, the trip to see my parents would be right in the middle of that and asked him if could we take this up when I got back. I was even willing to make the trip unpaid.


"No. Not an option", was his abrupt response.


Your family or your job.


Well, fuck that.


The same co-founder proceeded to tell me, "I still consider you a friend." That was rich. Do you ask your other friends to sacrifice their family for your endeavor?