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I know I’ve not made an entry in ages – but I’ve been busy. LOL. Who am I kidding? I’ve been just the opposite of busy! Which is to say I’ve been ViK-ing around. It’s sad really.
Anyway it’s time to complain again – this time the source of my ire is me. Clearly I forgot to say my prayer/mantra before I went to bed last night: Dear God, save me from myself tomorrow. Amen.
We’ll quickly recap yesterday’s events to explain why today sucked!
This guy that I know told me of a possible job for me. I would be the personal assistant to the chief-of-staff at an assemblyman’s office in Brooklyn. I rang the woman yesterday & she asked me to come in today for an interview at 11:00am. She also told me that the income would be $10.25. {This is what I made in 1999 fresh after two years of college.} She also said that I would have to work the first week unpaid – as something of a trial period. I understand that it is a city/government job and that it is more specifically along the lines of paid community service, but there are certain comforts to which one grows accustomed. Now, for those of you who would like to call me a stuck up because $10.25 is more than the $0.00 I’m presently making – shame on you. I don’t believe I should take virtually any job that comes my way and at any cost. So I decided to go on the interview – what could it hurt?
I’ve also been trolling CL (either you know what that is or you don’t) for mental stimulus and I’ve come across a few folks who serve up interesting banter or are temporary distractions from my otherwise dreadfully dull days. One such person I got to emailing with last night. He’s an artist who wanted night time conversation as he mused between art pieces. Being awake and quite free – I offered dialogue. We spoke on the phone until 2:00am. And then I got rid of him & finished e-chatting with another stay-at-home slacker (like myself) who I’ve befriended since last Friday. We IMed back & fourth until I crashed at 2:30am.
When I woke in the morning to the sound of the FedEx man ringing the life out of our doorbell it was 10:30am. I hope you’re paying attention: realizing that I need to drive to the interview for 11:00am. I snatched the packaged from Mr. FedEx, printed my resume, ironed the front of my ‘interview’ shirt & was out of the house in under 20 minutes. Don’t think about it too much. I was en route and making decent time as I neglected the speeding limits for Kings Highway. Then I arrived on the block of the office at 5 minutes past eleven. I parked as best I could into a parking spot that barely could hold my mom’s Honda civic, put my heels on and dashed out of the car. Where is #467? I could see apartment building; I could see an optical shop and between them was only #444. Where is #467? For some retarded reason I kept looking for an entrance into #444. Should it have occurred to me that #467 would be across the street? YES. Did it? NO. Finally I do look across the street & besides the police station which takes up about 2/3 of the block there are only a few crappy storefronts. I frantically ring thee guy who told the assembly person about me & he described where I was & told me that I need to cross the street. It was the crappy storefront nearest to the police station that was in fact the assemblyman’s office. Who’d have thunk? I hung up on him, dashed across the street and into the office. The glass store front had the lettering explaining that it was the office of Assemblyman Mr. Xxx. The ‘sign’ was painted on in blue and yellow – with the worst handwriting – save for medical professionals. Of course I should’ve guessed this to be the place – it only looks like a place to buy meat or fish from the outside. Perhaps it could’ve been the kind of place a well to do drug dealer would have his establishment in if he wanted to get away from selling outdoors in the brutal cold or heat.
“Good morning, I’m here to see Ms. Xxx,” I say in my most polite & professional voice (as best I could muster after being winded by a 10 second run). I receive three blank expressions. It seems I pronounced her name a bit off. After a brief awkward pause I was told that she would not be seeing people today. “I have an 11 o’clock appointment with her,” this only seems to mean something to one of the folks and asks my name & then says to give him a moment. He walks away & returns and asks me to follow him to her office. The woman I’m there to see is seated at her desk wearing a sundress that doesn’t sufficiently cover her breasts. There are 5 folding chairs in her office, perpendicular to her desk; lined up against the wall. I go to sit in the one closest to her desk and she tells me that if I need to put my bag down just move the shoe box on the chair next to me. I decline. I begin to give my lame explanation as to why I’m late & she says – it’s no problem. She said that she’s not a stickler about things like that. Shouldn’t she be a stickler about things like that? However, it is in my favor today – so I’m happy.
I hand her my resume and she reviews it & says that when she spoke with my friend last week that she had needed someone urgently and so she had filled the position. This person is on a trial basis much like I would be on if she were to accept me for the position. There was, however, another position that I might be able to get. Also she would prefer to have me as her personal assistant and so since the person presently doing the job was not a shoe-in I could still get the job. I mentioned to her that I was waiting to speak with a woman in Germany about a job – but that I’d know nothing until Monday / Tuesday. She seemed willing for me to begin tomorrow – but she said she would wait to hear from me first about the German job. She said based on the referral & the person referring me coupled with the fact that I appeared to be professional in every aspect – she would love to have me be her assistant and go with her to meetings with various local authorities etc. It sure would look good on my resume too – since clearly its damn near volunteer service.
The interview ended in less than 15minutes. I bolted and went to seek food and solace at a friend’s home. I parked across the street from his home (all parking must be mentioned since this is NYC and parking spaces are often a gift from God). I went to his home. I foraged for food – came up empty. I told him about the interview & was comforted. I told him about the German potential & he became indignant – since he only ever wants me to stay local. We did a bit of chatting & then he walked over to his balcony & called me. He asked me what was wrong with me – I thought he meant Germany again & I began walking over to him yelling about being a supportive friend when I looked over the balcony & saw that my car was the only one on that side of the street. It was easier to tell with that bright orange paper on the windshield! $45!!!!
He was disappointed in me until I explained that since I live in a house with a garage I never need to pay attention to street signs. PLUS I had had no intention of staying more than 15mins (had I left in those 15 – I would have been fine) and so I could have properly parked at a hydrant. ALSO I don’t drive (and therefore park) enough in the city to be accustomed to checking parking restrictions.
I left his home dejected and quite pissy. The day had gone from bad to worse in less than 2 hours. $45!
I drove home. The car needed gas but considering the $45 I now have to take from my savings to pay for a stooopid parking ticket, I decided that I would let mom fill up later. I took my regular route from his home to mine (a 25min drive with traffic) however, no matter which lane I chose (on either of the 2 highways between us) I was behind the Sunday driver who also happened to be under the influence. I arrived home and ate a 1/4 pound of cherries – my first meal of the day.
So to summarize: I paid $45 for an interview, for a job I don't want, that will make me marginally more than minimum wage - what a morning!
More to come – maybe. |
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Posted by Viktorienneze on 2008-06-19 13:11:23 | Rating: | Views: 30
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