35
I’M SO NERVOUS. It’s been a while. I can’t remember the last time I had to suffer through an interview. The last time would have been when I applied for my last job, about five years ago. I hate job interviews. They’re so nerve-wracking. I hate being observed, studied, judged and graded. I suppose that’s why I’ve never liked school very much.
I’m sitting on an upholstered bench, my briefcase at my feet. I tug at the hem of my tweed skirt and study the racks of clothing surrounding me; classy, conservative fashions, for the career minded woman.
I did a little spying a few days ago, came in the store, dressed in black leggings, a white t-shirt and a black baseball cap. I was trying to be inconspicuous. I wanted to check out the store so I could show up at the interview properly dressed. Hence the conservative tweed skirt, pretty blouse, classic black pumps and pearls. My mother has always told me that you have to be a chameleon in life if you are going to achieve success. You need to adapt to your surroundings, bend and alter yourself to fit in if necessary. I’ve kind of always been like that, and so was Peter.
I think of Blake again. He lives in a world of his own. He would never change a thing to suit anyone else. It’s just not how he’s built.
A friendly looking woman approaches me, dressed in a pretty pink two-piece. Her red hair suits it well. “Hello, you must be Maeve,” she says as she offers me her hand. “I’m Serena.”
I shake it enthusiastically. “Yes, nice to meet you, Serena.”
She sits next to me on the wide bench. There is no office here, as is usually the case in clothing stores. There are two other woman working, one is manning the cash, and the other is milling about the floor. It’s a weekday and not busy at all.
We go through the usual motions: she tells me all about the position, we discuss my qualifications and my last job. As the minutes pass, my pulse eases a little and my breathing settles into a normal rhythm. She’s actually a very nice woman and we have a lot in common; we both love fashion, we live in the same neighborhood, and she’s also originally from a small town up north.
I thank her profusely as I leave. I have a good feeling about this. I don’t even care anymore about the Chicago job. They never got back to me which I found a bit rude. Why would I want to live in Chicago anyway? I don’t know a soul there.
* * *
I’m officiallya single woman now, and I don’t mind it at all. I’ve never really had a chance to be on my own before. Blake and I got together when we were only fifteen. We were together for two years. A few years later, I found Peter. It’s time for me now.
I should start hanging out with Kayla and Corrie more when they go out. They’re both sort of single, but not really. Corrie says she’s separated, yet she still has sex with her husband all the time, and right now she’s nursing him back to health. And Kayla has a friends-with-benefits situation going. She says she doesn’t really like him, but I think she’s full of it. I certainly have no intentions of signing up for dating sites. I’m enjoying being single. Who needs men anyway?
I have all the supplies I need: Netflix, pajamas and fuzzy socks, cozy throw, iced tea, Pizza flavored Pringles (yes, Pizza! No more boring Original flavor for me), and a chocolate bar. Not the healthiest snacks, but now that Peter is out of the picture, I’m making up for lost time.
Um… I ponder my situation for a minute.
Something else I can have now… a cat. Peter always objected, but I’ve always desperately wanted one.
I go fetch my notebook, and add it to my growing list of things to do, things I need to get done, and stuff I’ve wanted to do, but for some reason or another, have never done.
Get job (stat!)
Get the last of Peter’s things packed up (Good riddance, jerk!)
Get finances in order
Car tune-up/winter tires.
Take an art class
Bake a cake. (I can have cake again!)
Go to the library.
Check out Rosetta Stone – French.
Trip with the girls? Talk about it at our next meeting. Paris?
Write children’s book?
Buy vintage record player like the one Gabbie has. And records too.
Get cat
There are also a lot of things I’m NOT doing right now.
