closer to sadness

Mom speaks:The closer we get to Oct. 1, the sadder I get. I just can't picture our library without V. She is the heart and soul of our branch. V. is always doing outside work for the benefit of her co-workers. She plans get togethers, creates cool t-shirts, bags, and many other excellent things designed to rally the troops. She's like our cheerleader. But, just because she's our computer guru, we're going to lose her. But see, that makes no sense because if anyone needs a computer nerd full-time it's our branch, the busiest one in the city. Every day and by that I mean EVERY DAY someone asks us something about the computer (mostly about problems trying to log on to the wifi) so now instead of giving even more excellent customer service, we have to say "I don't know anything about that." And by the time we call downtown, that patron will be gone and possibly fed up because we couldn't help them in a timely fashion. But that's not all V. is, a computer person. No V. is an excellent library assistant that is a master at reference. When I was a bright shiny new librarian, V. was extremely helpful in showing me how millenium ran and many, many other things about the reality of manning the reference desk.
Then there is C. She has only been with us about a year and a half, but she's really a part of our family. She also has great ideas and is a wonderful cheerleader. She might even make a good librarian some day if this doesn't dishearten her about libraries altogether.
And N. She has been with us a very short time, but fits in well here.
Everyone keeps telling me I should feel lucky because we all still have jobs. And I am grateful for that. But starting Oct. 1 I will be going to a workplace with a piece of my heart ripped out.