When she returned with his bill, his mind was made up. She was a good kid and was obviously struggling. Why not help her out?
He reviewed the bill, which was eleven dollars and twenty-nine cents. Then he handed her a hundred-dollar bill to pay the bill. And also handed her his card. “Come by the office whenever you’re in Chicago,” he said. “I like the seriousness with which you take your work. I’ll see if we can find something that matches your talents.”
Joy was scared to even ask it. “You mean like a job?”
William smiled as he stood to his feet. “I mean a job, yes.”
“Like a job in an office?”
“Would you like to work in an office?”
“Yes please! That’s my dream job.”
He stopped a moment to consider her. Such a small dream she had. Such humility! “Yes, Joynetta, it will be an office job.”
She was overjoyed. “Thank you, Mr. William,” she said, shaking his hand. “Thank you so much!”
He had to extricate his hand from her grip when she wouldn’t stop shaking it. “No problem at all. Have a good rest of your evening, Joynetta.”
“You too, sir. You too!”
Then he began to leave as she picked up the bill and the money. When she saw that it was a hundred-dollar bill, she yelled after him. “But what about your change, sir?”
He smiled at her. In many ways he found her to be quite innocent. He didn’t think they made’em like that anymore. And maybe they didn’t. Maybe she was a good con artist for all he knew. “Keep it,” he said, and headed for the exit.
Joy was so elated that she quickly rushed to find Contessa. She was asking everybody who worked there. “Have you seen Tess? Is Tess out back? Have you seen Contessa?”
“She’s in the breakroom.”
Joy hurried to the breakroom.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Contessa was eating a sandwich alone when Joy rushed in.
“You will not believe it, girl. You will not believe it!”
“What?”
Joy sat at the table with her. “I got a job!”
“You already got a job.”
“No, I mean my dream job.”
Contessa continued to chew her sandwich.
“Well.Almost anyway.”
Contessa looked at Joy suspiciously. She was always the optimist in the face of very little for her to be optimistic about. But she was going to hear her out. “Where this job at?”
“It’s in Chicago girl!”
“Chicago?You lying.”
“No I’m not either.”
“How you all of a sudden get a job in Chicago?”
