Right Man For The Job
As the train pulled into the station I neatly folded my Resume and placed it into a brown envelope.. To think that my life story was written on those six pages. My achievement,qualifications. school record and even my hobbies and interests. My future job career was dependent on how much mere words on paper impressed a future boss.. I looked out of the window, Holdfort seems a pleasant enough little town I thought to myself. I just hope the people are as pleasant. I had encountered prejudice many times during my travels because of my appearance and accent.
IT Global was only a short distance from the station. I knew little about the company, only that vacancies for jobs did not come up very often and were much sought after. I paused for a moment to compose myself before entering the building.
.
I stood in awe at the vastness of the inside. I slowly walked on only seeing the beauty of the architecture. I walked a little further but was stopped by two security guards.
"I have a job interview". I said handing over the acceptance letter before they could grab hold of me. They looked me up and down with mistrusting eyes. One of the guards gazed blankly at the letter. The other moved a hand over a gun by his side."Huh huh, the first grunted, "over there."
I followed his direction to a huge reception desk in a huge room. Stone pillars reached the ceiling. I walked along a spotlessly clean marble floor, occupied every 10 feet by another two seemingly nervous guards. I walked up to the counter.
"Excuse me I have an interview with Mr Rogers." I handed over my brown envelope.
"Well, interviews for this job are not till tomorrow, you do know this?" The receptionist casually put my envelope on top of a pile of other envelopes.
"Yes, I do, I've taken a room for the night locally" I tried to ignore her body language which was nothing new to me.
"Very well, your interview is at 2.15pm, Mr Rogers believes in promptness for interviews, 5 min late and you lose your chance, he has a lot of people to see, you understand?'
She spoke as if speaking to a child.
I held my breath. "Yes, I understand, how many is he seeing?"
"You're number 72 so far today." A phone rang. Anything else?" She coldly asked before picking up the receiver.
"Oh, no, thank you" I replied. "2.15 tomorrow then."
No response..
I found my hotel easy enough and after booking in and freshening up in my room I came downstairs to take a look at the hotel bar. On my way I heard voices from an adjoining room.
"Damn that Harry Mitchell for dying on us and leaving us in a mess."
A stocky built man looked up and saw me standing at the door.
The stocky man spoke. "Hi, I'm Frank, you're not any good with computers by any chance are yer fella?"
I hesitated. "Err, yes I have some experience.I replied.
Frank looked at me then smiled."Come and have a look see at this, can't do any harm."
I walked over to where Frank stood and was gestured to sit behind a monitor.
I looked at a screen that showed several windows and menus open. I looked up at Frank. "Before I touch anything I need to know what needs to be done and how this Harry Mitchell guy left you in a mess.
Frank nodded at me. "Sure, if it helps." He continued. "Well the way it is Harry worked for me for years, did a bit of everything but his main love was computers. He stored all the company's records on his PC in his office I'm a trusting sort of guy, some say too trusting sometimes, anyway, when he lost the use of his legs and found walking difficult we let him set up his office in his room at this hotel which I own, so I let him stay rent free cos of his loyalty.. Only problem is no-one else had need to access information from his PC and he stored every single bit of information that we needed over the years backed up by countless passwords, folders and sub folders and neither me or Charlie here can make head or tail of it.'"
"Mm, I see" I responded. "Well there may be a way but I need complete quiet so that I can concentrate."
"Of course",. Frank said, "We'll leave you to it."
After they left I got down to work. With my mind focused on the screen and my fingers over the keyboard, I began the opening and closing of folders, scanning and checking registry keys. Words and numbers raced through my mind occasionally slowing down as if to let me have a better look. Eventually it all stopped. I felt hot, my brow was sweating and my fingers were numb. I waited for a further 5 minutes before calling out.
"Frank, I believe I have solved your little problem."
Frank rushed into the room and looked at the screen. He punched in a few keys.
"Excellent,excellent he said excitedly. "You're a life saver. If you want to come and work for me, Harry's job is up for grabs."
"That's very good of you, but I have a job interview tomorrow, I'll give it some thought.though"
"Very well, take my card anyway in case you change your mind." He handed over a business card which I put straight in my wallet.
Feeling a little exhausted I excused myself and went to my room. I needed my sleep if I was going to be at my best the next day.
The following day I stayed around the hotel. I breakfasted and lunched there There was no sign of Frank and the room where the computer was located, was locked. Allowing myself plenty of time I arrived at the IT Global half hour early. I was shown into a waiting room where several other candidates were seated.
Eventually it was my turn. I entered the room and saw a high-backed chair.
"Now Mr Klinkel, I see you have traveled a great deal, where were you educated to gain such high qualifications? Moving about so much must have affected your grades surely?"
I tried to answer in the New York accent had been practicing but the words came out high-pitched. '"My family always believed in learning as much of everything and where I was brought up learning the sciences was natural."
Mr Rogers swung his chair around. "I know that voice", he exclaimed,"and not many people have green hair and six fingers."
I stared at the familiar face "Frank, I mean Mr Rogers?"
"The surprise is as much for me as you my friend" He smiled.
"You want me to leave now I suppose?"
'"No way Mr Klinkel, the job is yours and you can throw that Resume thing in the bin on the way out, I don't need to read any more and you wont need it again.'
I did as Frank Rogers suggested but it was such a shame, one of my most honest life stories to date..
Well apart from failing to mention the planet that I came from and my ability to meld with computers data bases and memories.
IT Global was only a short distance from the station. I knew little about the company, only that vacancies for jobs did not come up very often and were much sought after. I paused for a moment to compose myself before entering the building.
.
I stood in awe at the vastness of the inside. I slowly walked on only seeing the beauty of the architecture. I walked a little further but was stopped by two security guards.
"I have a job interview". I said handing over the acceptance letter before they could grab hold of me. They looked me up and down with mistrusting eyes. One of the guards gazed blankly at the letter. The other moved a hand over a gun by his side."Huh huh, the first grunted, "over there."
I followed his direction to a huge reception desk in a huge room. Stone pillars reached the ceiling. I walked along a spotlessly clean marble floor, occupied every 10 feet by another two seemingly nervous guards. I walked up to the counter.
"Excuse me I have an interview with Mr Rogers." I handed over my brown envelope.
"Well, interviews for this job are not till tomorrow, you do know this?" The receptionist casually put my envelope on top of a pile of other envelopes.
"Yes, I do, I've taken a room for the night locally" I tried to ignore her body language which was nothing new to me.
"Very well, your interview is at 2.15pm, Mr Rogers believes in promptness for interviews, 5 min late and you lose your chance, he has a lot of people to see, you understand?'
She spoke as if speaking to a child.
I held my breath. "Yes, I understand, how many is he seeing?"
"You're number 72 so far today." A phone rang. Anything else?" She coldly asked before picking up the receiver.
"Oh, no, thank you" I replied. "2.15 tomorrow then."
No response..
I found my hotel easy enough and after booking in and freshening up in my room I came downstairs to take a look at the hotel bar. On my way I heard voices from an adjoining room.
"Damn that Harry Mitchell for dying on us and leaving us in a mess."
A stocky built man looked up and saw me standing at the door.
The stocky man spoke. "Hi, I'm Frank, you're not any good with computers by any chance are yer fella?"
I hesitated. "Err, yes I have some experience.I replied.
Frank looked at me then smiled."Come and have a look see at this, can't do any harm."
I walked over to where Frank stood and was gestured to sit behind a monitor.
I looked at a screen that showed several windows and menus open. I looked up at Frank. "Before I touch anything I need to know what needs to be done and how this Harry Mitchell guy left you in a mess.
Frank nodded at me. "Sure, if it helps." He continued. "Well the way it is Harry worked for me for years, did a bit of everything but his main love was computers. He stored all the company's records on his PC in his office I'm a trusting sort of guy, some say too trusting sometimes, anyway, when he lost the use of his legs and found walking difficult we let him set up his office in his room at this hotel which I own, so I let him stay rent free cos of his loyalty.. Only problem is no-one else had need to access information from his PC and he stored every single bit of information that we needed over the years backed up by countless passwords, folders and sub folders and neither me or Charlie here can make head or tail of it.'"
"Mm, I see" I responded. "Well there may be a way but I need complete quiet so that I can concentrate."
"Of course",. Frank said, "We'll leave you to it."
After they left I got down to work. With my mind focused on the screen and my fingers over the keyboard, I began the opening and closing of folders, scanning and checking registry keys. Words and numbers raced through my mind occasionally slowing down as if to let me have a better look. Eventually it all stopped. I felt hot, my brow was sweating and my fingers were numb. I waited for a further 5 minutes before calling out.
"Frank, I believe I have solved your little problem."
Frank rushed into the room and looked at the screen. He punched in a few keys.
"Excellent,excellent he said excitedly. "You're a life saver. If you want to come and work for me, Harry's job is up for grabs."
"That's very good of you, but I have a job interview tomorrow, I'll give it some thought.though"
"Very well, take my card anyway in case you change your mind." He handed over a business card which I put straight in my wallet.
Feeling a little exhausted I excused myself and went to my room. I needed my sleep if I was going to be at my best the next day.
The following day I stayed around the hotel. I breakfasted and lunched there There was no sign of Frank and the room where the computer was located, was locked. Allowing myself plenty of time I arrived at the IT Global half hour early. I was shown into a waiting room where several other candidates were seated.
Eventually it was my turn. I entered the room and saw a high-backed chair.
"Now Mr Klinkel, I see you have traveled a great deal, where were you educated to gain such high qualifications? Moving about so much must have affected your grades surely?"
I tried to answer in the New York accent had been practicing but the words came out high-pitched. '"My family always believed in learning as much of everything and where I was brought up learning the sciences was natural."
Mr Rogers swung his chair around. "I know that voice", he exclaimed,"and not many people have green hair and six fingers."
I stared at the familiar face "Frank, I mean Mr Rogers?"
"The surprise is as much for me as you my friend" He smiled.
"You want me to leave now I suppose?"
'"No way Mr Klinkel, the job is yours and you can throw that Resume thing in the bin on the way out, I don't need to read any more and you wont need it again.'
I did as Frank Rogers suggested but it was such a shame, one of my most honest life stories to date..
Well apart from failing to mention the planet that I came from and my ability to meld with computers data bases and memories.