Pounding Pavements

Pic from here

So, time has crawled by since my last interview debacle and I am beginning to realize that this job situation is really critical. I’ve spent the last few months sending applications from the comfort of my living-room couch, supporting the laptop on the chair arm, sipping ice-tea in one hand, while keeping an eye on Oprah and repeat episodes of “The Good Wife” (I’m such a cliché!). Moreover, I feel a piece of my brain die each time I listen to Kim Kardashian.

I decided to hit the streets so to speak, since ‘pounding’ the internet has brought naught responses. I chose a Friday assuming that prospective employers would be more forgiving if I wore jeans. I had to save my good cloths for really important interviews! Anyway, the weather was not so forgiving. The sun’s glare was brutally blinding and sweat formed an ugly, wet patch around my armpits and my back.

So much for appearances.

I’m at the gate of the first office I mapped out. The street is under construction and there appears to be no visible way to get in. The security guard must have observed my consternation at the sight of the huge gutter I will have to jump so he opens the side-gate and gestures to the walk-board I could use to get across. Do these people not have cars? I move towards the board and loose my balance as my foot sinks into the bank of sand. There goes my best shoe. The security guard is actually nice enough to let me empty the shoe of sand and dust myself up before going into the office.

Now, this is where it gets scary. Having encountered numerous front office personnel and having been one myself, I know what to expect. Sassy, nice, bitter, bored, smiling, condescending or downright rude, I have met many. I plant a smile on my face, brace myself and open the door to greet… the empty office.

I am beginning to wonder if the office is still in business when a diminutive young man walks in and greets me. I close the space between us quickly so I can tower over him and have a height advantage- hehehe.

“Hello, my name is Bridget. I have a document for the Head of Client Services”

“Alright bring it.”

I wasn’t going to risk telling him I was hoping to secure employment. I had worked in Front Office remember? I had a good idea of what happened to unsolicited applications. I’d also worked in HR. There you find the In-tray, Out-Tray and Dustbin- sorry, no Pending tray. So my best bet was to deliver my services directly to the necessary department.

Unexpectedly, he asks me, “Is that all?” while proceeding to open the envelope.

NOOOO! It is on the tip of my tongue to ask if he is the Head of Client Services that he should want to open my envelope, but being the coward I am, I thank him chirpily and beat a hasty retreat to the door.

“Excuse me?” Apparently I am not fast enough. I turn around with what I hope is an innocent expression so I can deny that I am the author of the cover letter in his hand. “Here, you can have this.”

In his hand is a page-marker branded with the face of the CEO and the schedules of his radio programme. I let out a sigh as I glimpsed that he has not succeeded in opening my package.

“Oh, thank you.” I almost snatch it out of his hand as I flee.

Back in sunshine, I am quickly dehydrated. I can not stop for a drink as I have, hopefully, 3 more stops before I am done. The second office has moved so there’s no need to go into details about the very unpleasant security guard who gave me this information. After dodging okada from hell and nearly going deaf from blaring horns, I finally make it to the next office panting and perspiring and I quickly decide this is where my journey ends for the day. I smoothen and adjust myself appropriately as I approach the glass doors – Thank God there are no sand banks to jump!

The Front Office lady is pleasant enough in her greeting as I tell my tale again. She doesn’t ensue to open my secrets thankfully but she does ask,

“Sorry, what’s in it?” What is it with people and questions this hot afternoon?

“Um…” before I can stumble out an answer, my phone rings mercifully. I am so grateful for the interruption that I wonder if it will be wrong to take my phone outside and proceed to leave without giving her an answer, but I do not want to make a scene.

My brief conversation with DD buys me an excuse but I have to hang up now as she keeps looking at me pointedly.

“Hold on- yes? Sorry what did you say?”

“I said, what’s inside please?”

“Oh right, um, it’s a Cover Letter.”

“Alright.”

Hm? “Ok thank you, have a good day.”

Was that all she wanted to know? I assume she imagines that I am from some company or the other, but seriously, shouldn’t she have asked for my company’s name?

Whatever. I care less. I hightail it out of there and into the nearest eatery to reward myself with some Ice Tea. As I queue up to place my order, I look up at the TV suspended on the wall and ah, Oprah comes on...