There would be glitter and sequins everywhere, I promise you. And big hats. Lots and lots of big hats and ridiculous scarves.

Fay, that's a good letter. I would tweak the angle of the last few paragraphs, such that you're stating you're certain they will want you to continue until the end of the term and will fulfill the remaining terms of their contract with you, and that you await written confirmation and/or a signed, short-term contract which states both parties' obligations, rather than outright saying you won't do it, if they won't pay you. Were you able to get in touch with a lawyer?

Also, unless this is a UK/US spelling difference, moneys should read monies.

Send it, Fay. If he calls you on it, you'll make the difference somehow.

I agree, Nora. The rain is finally starting, here. I think this means Julia's T-ball game is off. I can't tell you how glad I am about that, without feeling like a real jerk, but really, I'm dancing as fast as I can.

The pet discussion is fascinating for me. I know the circumstances of Hec and JZ well enough to know that they were blindsided by love, which required (as Hec said) certain sacrifices on both their parts. That said...

But that just seemed self-evident to me, in the sense that if you set your filter that way and sift through all your life choices through that screen then you're going to be plus pets and minus people when you're done.

Not really. I *do* admit to filtering through a Must Like Cats dealbreaker in my dating life, even though I didn't have a cat who lived with me (as opposed to with my parents) until Paul and I were well established. When I was younger, it was actually a higher priority than Wants Kids. I did fall in love and live with someone who was allergic once, but he turned out to be batshit insane, and I realized that in the future, I'd just stick to my dealbreaker guns, because DAMN, I could NOT live the rest of my life without cats. (If Lily were allergic, which she shows no signs of being, I could manage to go the 18 years until she moved out, though I'd probably look into alternatives like medication or a separate dwelling space out back for the existing cats.)

Anyhow, my point is, I'm not minus people. Were there probably wonderful people I never considered because of the cat thing? Hell yes. Would I have been able to be happy with them, knowing I couldn't have a cat in my life? Not leather-pants happy, that's for damn sure.

We spoke with the lawyer at the Other School, but this was more in regard to how our situation would impact upon them, really. Understandably. They were cool about it, but they have vested interests in not saying 'go on, screw your current boss', evidently enough.

Hmm. I'll poke the last couple of paragraphs with a stick, maybe. But subtlety is likely to be lost on Evil Boss.

'Course he doesn't react well to confrontations either. Argh.

Excellent letter, Fay. (eta: Cindy's suggested tweak makes sense to me. You don't want to be too subtle, but you do want to present a solution where you get paid that he can grab on to when he realizes that he's screwed himself)

leather-pants happy

I love this phrase.

I also love Fay's letter. It's so calm, reasonable, and full of very politely sharpened knives.

Anyhow, my point is, I'm not minus people.

I didn't mean "minus people" as a negative number or zero. Just...

Were there probably wonderful people I never considered because of the cat thing? Hell yes.

...this. Less people in the potential pool.

It's so calm, reasonable, and full of very politely sharpened knives.

It is. It's super polite and filled with steely British menace.