Another First - At LAST!

Today was a realtively normal, yet not-so-normal day. Today was the start of the two-days-in-a-row of TAKS (that dreaded - and utterly demeaning - standardized test of Texas') for all underclassmen, so me being a senior had a half day. Also, me being in internship which starts in the middle of the day means that I don't have to go to school, just internship. With that in mind, I was clad in my medical scrubs, skater shoes that were smeared with dried mud, and rainbow socks.

I went out to brunch (actually was my breakfast though) and met up with Maerilly, Cinthol, Pesei, Lauren, Raphael, Patrick, and Daryl at Denny's in Missouri City at 9:30 am. I had a nice and hearty meal of a Boca Burger with a side of has browns, along with a glass of iced water. Somewhere in the middle of eating, I decided I didn't want to go to internship (which starts at 2 pm for me, since the office opens later on Thursdays). I then journeyed to school to drop off my Senior Survey packet in the Attendance office so the Senior Awards Ceremony will actually have something for me. *wink* After that, I decided to go to SuperTarget to have a go at getting a job there. THIS is where everything about my otherwise normal day into something a bit more... different.

After walking through the store for a couple of minutes, searching for the employment booths with their computers and phones, I found them - at the OTHER entrance of the store. *rolls eyes* Then I commenced to filling out the relatively easy application. Then, I followed the directions on the screen telling me to pick up the red (surprise!) phone which would automatically hook me up with some person who would then tell me what else to do. I did so and low and behold: I was in for an immediate interview!... but I'm getting ahead of myself. Before that, I had plenty of time to ponder and worry about my impending doom (for it most certainly wouldn't be a good thing - right?). See, (1) the person who answered the phone had a pretty thick Indian accent who then (2) messed up my name - even AFTER I spelled it out and then (3) said something about "help coming along". At this point, I was incredibly confused and SOOO not confidant. I mean, what do you mean by help coming along?

Fortunately, there was this nice black dude who was organising the shopping carts, which were situated approximately 15 feet to my right, so I asked him what was supposed to happen after I finished an application. At this point, one of my friends called me on my cell and I spoke with her for a bit, telling her my worries and such. Well, the dude (who I don't know his name but I'll call him Derek just for the sake of not calling him "the dude" - plus he reminds me of a Derek), Derek, told me that someone was supposed to come to do the job interview. At this point, I was SHOCKED. An interview? A JOB interview?? NOW??? Dressed like this? Oh man! Was I dead. I was going to be dropped even before the manager spoke with me! ... Or at least that's what my hyperactive mind told me at this point. So... I stayed there for a while to wait for this formidable interviewer while s/he roasts me alive. While there, I double guessed myself, thought too much, and basically thought up of about 100 things that could go wrong and 200 things I could do that would MAKE it go wrong. After a while of sitting there, I peeked out of the booth and saw Derek again and he saw me looking at him. So... next thing I knew, I looked out again and he was speaking into those cool walkie-talkies. He then came up to me to tell me someone was coming (at last!).

Momentarily, he left and came back with an Indian man named Mike "Argh" (actually, I think he meant to say the letter "R" but I heard the Pirate "argh!" instead). At this point, I was telling myself to breathe. Well, Mike told me to write my name out on the back of a reciept he supplied me with. Well, first try, the pen he supplied me with had a technical diffulty when writing the second letter of my name. I informed him of the matter and he tried it out and it WORKED. Well, I felt stupid (that pen must have something against me!) so I was telling myself "great first impression, Iris!" I eventually wrote out my 6-letter-long full name and I followed him and he told me to wait until he got my application printed out. So I did.. for the next 5 minutes or so. A Filipino guy told me he'd be back soon, as well. Then, I saw Mike over at the Guest Services place wave his hand to get my attention and so I went off to meet my fate. We went through the back with the uniform white walls and the occasional splash of red here and there into a room with a small circular table with 4 chairs on one side and one chair on the other. I got the one springy, plastic chair while Mike seated himself in the cushiony, larger chair on the opposite side. The room had a weird institutionalized feel to it. It even had one of those weird 'encouraging' posters telling you that a good worker needed courage, caring, etc., etc. and such. It was practically the only colorful thing in there.

I could swear I heard a Funeral March going on. Anyways... he asked me about my school (took me two tries to understand him for he had a slight Indian accent - but not a bad one) and to make sure it's a summer job. Then he asked me about my available hours. I wrote down from 3pm to 10pm from Monday to Friday (because of school) and all day/night on Saturday and none on Sunday. The Sunday thing because it's technically my homework day. Well... Mike told me that they needed people on Sunday and I couldn't just say that Sunday was my Homework Day and since I was SOOO close to a job (for the 2 time) and I didn't want to blow it, told him that I could change it. All I had to do was call my teacher so I can move the date. :) He told me to come back tomorrow and ask for "Mike Argh". *wink*

And that there concluded my first ever job interview! OK... fine, not first ever, more like third ever (my first two were from Build A Bear and I didn't get the job because I failed the test - I was too honest. *rolls eyes*). The point is that I got it! Even with my choice of clothing and everything! OH MY GOSH!!! :)

I decided to award myself with Milk Tea Tapioca from Ichiban and I called my mom and dad at work to tell them my good news! Of course, I could still be told I don't have the job - but this is better than nothing! I'll TRY not to second guess myself tomorrow. *sigh* I try. I can't make any promises though - these things make me so nervous and the interviewer? So... intimidating! Wish me luck! I really don't like this "sir" business though. I rarely ever say "sir" or "ma'am". I don't condone that stuff. I don't know why. But I did it today and it made me feel really weird. I dunno... *shrug* Maybe tomorrow, I'll call him Mr. Mike (he called me Miss Iris) or I could even call him Mr. Argh! :) That'd totally rock. Having "argh" for a last name. haha!

Yeah... well, that's my first job interview experience! Oh man.. I would never want to do it again - but I'll do it just once more. Gotta get a job! I'm sooo GIDDY!