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Laid off in 2024, part 9: The box came back, the very next day…

Remember the company laptop that I packed in a box and sent back to my former employer yesterday? Like some monkey’s paw curse or the cat from children’s song The Cat Came Back, that same box was just delivered… back to my place!

I shipped this from PyCon US back to the place where Auth0 swag goes after conferences.

This is far from my first FedEx rodeo. I’ve shipped lots of stuff in return boxes and crates, and I’m used to the procedure: find the return label, put it in the protective clear plastic sleeve, stick the sleeve onto the package, and you’re done! (See the photo above for an actual real-life example of the many, many packages I have successfully shipped.)

I took a quick look at the shipping label and confirmed my suspicions: the return label had my home address, not my former employer’s head office address! I didn’t even look at the address on the return label and just attached it on “autopilot” — probably because I just wanted to move on to my next gig.

Luckily, I have a duplicate label from the time I returned my original company computer (a 2018-era Intel PowerBook) in exchange for its replacement (a 2022-era M1 Max PowerBook). I can easily stick that label on and make a quick run to the nearby FedEx place.

But why do only that?

Inside every mistake is an opportunity

Forget the debate over whether the Chinese characters for “crisis” actually include the character for “opportunity…”

…I have a philosophy that every mistake contains an opportunity. Inspired by an idea from my former coworker Peter Wheeler, I got a Lunar New Year “red envelopes” — hong bao in Mandarin, lai see in Cantonese, and yes, I keep a stash of them for special occasions — put four quarters in it, along with a handwritten message.

Tap to view at full size.

Here’s the text of the message:

Hello, BT person!

I hope all’s well at the mothership. This is a quick note to say thanks for dealing with the box and its contents. It’s a weird time for us all, and I wanted you to know that you are appreciated!

I’ve included a Lunar New Year “red envelope” to say thanks for all you do. There’s a dollar inside for good luck — don’t spend it until next Lunar New Year, or you’ll break the good luck charm!

Your friend and former Oktanaut,
Joey de Villa

The BT department, who manage the company’s business tech and have to handle the intake of hundreds of these returned computers, were also downsized. I had a chance to make someone’s day a little better, so why not?

Of course, this meant opening the box, adding the hong bao and note…

Tap to view at full size.

…and then re-sealing it, but I think it’s worth it.

I’ve sealed the box again, and as I write this, I’m about to head back to the FedEx place to ship it a second time. Wish me luck!

Bonus video

In case you’re not familiar with the son The Cat Came Back, here’s a classic film that Canadian schoolchildren from my generation grew up with that features the song:

Also in this series…