Welcome to strangers from KCW and Radiotopia.

I'm Leah Tao.

And if you've ever felt anything like this listener, today's episode may be for you.

Hi, I just listened to your most recent episode that was a rebroadcast from your first season.

I just quit my job three days ago, and I have never felt better about my life.

I still live with my parents. I'm 24 years old, so I'm not independent, but my boss made me feel like I never accomplished anything.

I worked my butt off every single day. I cared so much about the company. And when I wanted to quit, I sobbed my eyes out.

But the moment I left, I went into my car, and when I realized I never had to go back to that tellhole,

I have never felt such relief in my life.

So sometimes leaving a job, it's the best thing that can happen to you.

Many of us have at some point or another have been stuck in some job where we felt underappreciated

or overqualified or just

generally miserable. And sometimes like Rachel here, we have the guts to just quit. But other

times we find ourselves fantasizing that someone is going to come along and save us. Perhaps a perfect

stranger who will instantly recognize that we are destined for greater

things than our cranky boss at some crappy gig will ever acknowledge.

Today we continue our Back to the Grind miniseries with another story from our first season.

Here is Corinne Goodman.

Back in May 2004, I was working as an assistant to a Hollywood agent.

I was 32 years old at the time, making copies, answering phones, and feeling pretty lost and invisible. I was at a point in my life

where I was looking for more. I was looking for something bigger, a bigger purpose to drive me.

So one day I'm invited to a fundraising event for women against gun violence. And, you know,

...