Reporter: Why I Resigned From The Norwalk Daily Voice

NORWALK, Conn. – Jack Chiaramonte said he was glad to hear from me this weekend – he’d sent emails to me at The Daily Voice and had finally realized I wasn’t there anymore.

Jack is apparently blissfully unaware of a certain story that appeared in The Hour recently. (I didn’t enlighten him.) The story mentions that I had resigned my position as a reporter. The story may even give some people the impression that I did it because I did something wrong.

So I’ve been thinking I need to provide some sort of explanation. In total seriousness, I’ve come up with a list of reasons for you:

• Brain fart
• High horse moment
• Never had a legal problem before, didn’t know how to handle it
• Never should have gone on that vacation
• Wanted to test my intuition
• Needed to give my husband a chance to show how supportive he can be

OK? Good enough?

No, you want more.

Brain fart: I love that phrase. I usually use it to explain forgetfulness, but, in this case, I like Urban Dictionary’s sixth definition.

I was actually a little disappointed to find “Get down off your high horse” so easily when I Googled it just now. I’ve mentioned it to people and they kind of looked at me as if I were a Martian. Suffice to say my mother said it to me many times when I was a child. I thought everyone knew the phrase.

Anyway, I had a “high horse moment.” ‘Nuff said.

Legal problem? Yeah, that’s a good one. I admit, the now-publicized accusation got to me. Can’t say anything about that, but there’s this: I’ve never had a lawyer before but two months ago we suddenly realized I had three! Gave me a brain fart.

Then there was a letter from a fourth lawyer. That wasn’t a big surprise because I heard months ago that three former co-workers were suing the company I worked for (Main Street Connect/The Daily Voice — whatever they call it now).

For reasons I cannot go into, Lawyer Number Three told me last week that I have no choice. I must attempt to sign on to that lawsuit.

So see? That would have been a good reason to resign. I would have been working for The Daily Voice while I was suing them.

And I will likely have four lawyers at once.

My mother says I have an interesting life.

Which brings us to reason number four: that vacation! Mistake! They (the Daily Voice bosses, not the lawyers) made me take two weeks off. I liked it too much! Who wants to work? Besides, I like my mother’s basement. It was a good place to live and I’d like to go back. We stayed there for a week on vacay and it was very comfortable – oddly, more so than our small apartment in Norwalk. If we move back because we can’t afford to live in Norwalk because of my Brain Fart, or whatever, we’ll be near Atlantic City again. (Remember, I decided this before I knew there was a hurricane coming …)

Intuition said I’d be fine if I resigned. Let’s see how that works out. Hubby has been very supportive. Good thing, as he still works for that company I’m going to be suing.

Sometimes I wonder if I can get a Lawyer Number Five … maybe sue someone for slander (that would not be someone connected to the party of the fourth part — oops, legalese! I meant to say the party being sued by the fourth lawyer — but someone else who played a major part in said BF).

That would be fun from my mother’s basement.

On the other hand, maybe we can stay here.

It’s up to you, Norwalk! If enough of you want me (good place for a donation solicitation or ad sales pitch, but that will come soon enough), I’ll stay. I don’t need all that much money. And I really liked covering Norwalk – it was exciting, engaging and enlightening.

Right now I’m relaxing, but I’ll get back to work soon … back on that horse (although hopefully not a high one; this is the second time that did not work out so good, the first having been a real horse).

Even an Energizer Bunny needs a break now and then.