The interview is scheduled in a few minutes as I step out of the elevator on the twenty third floor of the newest office building in the city.
An ambitious and demanding executive is seeking an assistant, making me aware that I'm about to face a perfectionist, deadline driven workaholic. At precisely 10-00 am, a slim, well-groomed secretary ushers me into a plush and opulent office and closes the door behind her.
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I can be rather lazy at times, especially when I'm doing a routine job I've done lots of times. The current job was making out the Department Manager's monthly report. I just had to cut and paste sections out of the previous monthly report and the various divisional reports and that was it. I whipped through it and posted it off to the DM with time to spare. Once I had his formal approval I'd just send out copies to everyone concerned in time for the big monthly meetings the next day.
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Jennifer looked out of the large glass windows at the front of the reception into the bleak January afternoon. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen the sun, and with the economic climate so uncertain she'd decided not to visit the travel agents over the Christmas period like she normally did. No, she'd just have to wait a few more months and hope it was a good summer. She accidentally kicked the gym bag she kept under her desk, at least she still kept herself in shape, even if she was a bit paler than she'd ideally like.
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When it was time for me to go to university my father arranged for me to stay with my aunt and uncle. They lived in this real big place, quite posh, it was. Aunt did all the housework herself and she was an excellent cook. They had a gardener in once a fortnight to keep the gardens and lawn under control.
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"Hello. I'm Mr. Devereux to see Ms. Hill," I said to the receptionist. My voice was clear and authoritative, but not overly aggressive. I was standing in front of her desk, which had the usual assortment of secretarial accoutrements; a large phone, pens, paper, rolodex and computer, which she was busily typing away at.
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