Sounds like Rhonda could use a little help

Dear Annie: After seven years, I was unhappy at my job. The insurance was the only good thing about it. My friend “Carolyn” had been after me to come work with her. The money was good, and the insurance was the same. So I changed jobs. But as soon as I went to work there, Carolyn became someone I didn’t know. She was lazy and never had anything good to say.

It didn’t take long to realize that I had made a huge mistake. When I told Carolyn that I was not learning enough on the job, she said, “I don’t want to overwhelm you.” When I went to others to get more work, she’d get angry and suddenly find the most trivial tasks to keep me busy.

The insults never stopped. She said I only got the job because they were looking for people who were neither young nor attractive. (She should know.) She never missed an opportunity to humiliate me. It only took a week to hate that job and realize the one I left wasn’t so bad, but there was nothing to do but tough it out.

After seven months, I was laid off due to lack of work. I later found out I was the third person she has done this to. Everyone knew this but me. I am so angry with myself for being so stupid.

I am 56 with diabetes, and Carolyn knew how much I needed the insurance. I am amazed at how little help is out there for people like me. I’m trying to forgive, but right now, I can’t. Rhonda

Dear Rhonda: You will be able to forgive when you are ready to let go of your anger toward Carolyn. You could not know that she was untrustworthy. Meanwhile, contact your state’s labour department and find out whether they have employment programs geared toward older women. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column.