The United States of America used to be a colonial subject to England. Things got bad and we broke away. It was rocky at first, but the former motherland and its one time colonial asset have been long time allies.

My situation  has similarities.

Such an agreement is being formulated and as a result I may again take a more substantial position in the company that has employed me for nearly three decades. For a very long period starting twenty years ago I was the operations manager.

In the two and a half years since I held that position there have been a series of compelling events that well illustrated the value of my contribution to the health of the business and I’ve been asked to again take a greater role there.

To be sure, I had worked at preparing several people to wear the hats that I wore (as I was instructed to),  never fearing replacement but assuming it. In the interim it meant the company would be in good hands and I could take a real vacation without being called to solve some little problem, which benefit to me never actually materialized. What has been discovered is that while no one is completely replaceable, the real thing is superior to the substitute.

March 09 Update: They lobbed the ball to me. I responded. Back to me. They responded. I respond with numbers. They counter. I consider withdrawing from the negotiations.