Where Are We Going?

Dressed in her most professional outfit, hair straight as a pin and makeup done to perfection, Vanessa looks herself over in the hotel full length mirror once more as she puts her purse over her shoulder. Satisfied, she leaves the room, a company car is waiting for her outside and she didn’t want to be late for the most determining interview of her career so far.

In the car her nerves get the better of her and she drums her fingers against her thigh.
“So,” she says to the driver, “How are you?” The driver glances at her in the rear view mirror.
“I’m dandy.” He smiles, “You nervous?”
“Very.” She smiles weakly, “I came all the way from San Francisco for this interview.”
“That’s quite a trip.” He says in a friendly tone, “You must have some résumé.”
“I guess you can say that.” She shrugs, “I’m so worried I’ll just mess this interview up entirely.”
“Just remember, firm handshake, look em in the eye, smile and don’t mumble.” He says smartly.
“Thanks.” Vanessa says smiling a little more confidently now, “My name is Vanessa Cueburt.”
“Jerry Wilson.” The driver says smiling, “Hey, maybe I’ll be your driver again when you get the job.”
“Don’t you mean if I get the job.”
“Hey, let’s be optimistic.” He laughs.
“So how’d you get into transportation?”
“I uhh, dropped out of high school, but not driver’s ed.” He says quietly.
“Well if I do say so myself, this has been a smooth ride and you’re quite the conversationist.”
“Thank you.”
“So if you don’t mind me asking, why’d you drop out?”
“Because I was stupid.”
“You’re not stupid.” Vanessa protests.
“No, I mean I was stupid for dropping out.” he says simply, “I didn’t really get along with authority figures.”
“I can understand that.”
“Well here we are.” Jerry says stopping in front of a building, “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” She says getting out of the car nervously, “It was nice talking to you.”

She heads into the building and follows the instructions she was sent and takes the elevator up to the twelfth floor of the office building. As the doors part a bustle of employees carrying file folders and coffee cups zoom by her in every direction, but through it all she spots a main desk. She makes her way to it and the secretary looks up at her.
“Yes?”
“My name is Vanessa Cueburt I’m here-“
“Down that hallway, office twelve-fifteen.” The secretary says pointing to her right. Vanessa parts from the desk and walks down the hallway into the specified room, inside is a small desk and four chairs against the opposing walls. Behind the small desk a young blond woman in a blue button up shirt speaks quickly on the phone.
“I’m sorry but she can’t make it for that time, can you just post-pone it half an hour?” she pauses, “Thank you. Alright, she’ll be there buh-bye.” She hangs up the phone then looks directly at Vanessa, “You must be Vanessa Cueburt.”
“Yes I am.”
“I’m Nancy Grenlin, we spoke on the phone.” Vanessa nods, “Well just have a seat and Miss Traven will see you shortly.”

Vanessa goes and sits quietly on one of the chairs, tugging nervously at the straps of her purse which resides on her lap. There’s a faint buzz and Nancy picks up the phone.
“Yes she is,” she speaks into the receiver, “Right away.” She hangs up the phone and turns to Vanessa, “She’ll see you now.” Vanessa swallows hard then stands up and heads toward the double door. Nervously she puts her hand on the cold metal door handle turns and opens the door.

“Ahh Vanessa.” A woman in her early forties says enthusiastically, “I’m Alexis Traven.”
“Nice to meet you.” Vanessa says going up to her and shaking her hand.
“Please, sit down.” She says motioning to the chair across her desk, “Would you like anything to drink.”
“No thank you.” Vanessa says placing her purse on the floor next to her, she tried her hardest not to shake with nervousness.
“Your résumé is impressive.” She states wide-eyed, “I’d hire you, no interview, right off the bat if it weren’t for one question.” Vanessa swallows hard, she knew what question it was, it was the infamous Warner Brothers question, “Why’d you give up your job at Warner Brothers studio to work at a crap-ass radio station?” Vanessa sat slightly stunned, she never went to an interview where the employer said the word ‘crap-ass.’
“I was afraid you’d ask that.”
“Why’s that?”
“You see I was hired there to work on a specialized project for the twenty-fifth anniversary of a band.”
“Which band?”
“Green Day.” Alexis nods, “Anyway, on set I met this awesome guy,” the older woman chuckles, “But turns out he was the guitarist’s son. Anyway, we said we’d keep things quiet till after the project but we were found out and I was fired.”
“Hmm.” Alexis says thinking, “What happened to the guy?”
“What do you mean what happened to him?”
“I mean did you break up?”
“No, we’re still together.” Vanessa says as her mind whips back to their last conversation. Alexis laughs to herself.
“Let me tell you about me and my husband.” She pauses to make sure Vanessa is listening, “When we met we were working as interns for an accounting sector of an entertainment company and we were both up for the same promotion. Anyway we ended up banging each other in the men’s washroom.” Vanessa can’t help but snort with laughter, the employer doesn’t mind, “Yeah, and we got caught. Thing was our boss told us we were both going to get the promotion but after our display he was considering firing us.”
“What happened?”
“Well, he fired us, but not before writing both of us extraordinary letters of recommendation.” She smiles, “Basically what I’m saying is, you can’t stop forces of nature, but since you’ve got yours out of the way and settled, you’re hired.”
“Just like that? Are you serious?” Vanessa asks enthusiastically.
“Unless you don’t want the job.”
“Yes I want the job!”
“Then what’s the problem?” Alexis laughs, “We’ll set up for an apartment for you and a shipping company for your stuff.”
“Thank you so much, you won’t regret it.” Vanessa says off-the-wall happy.