“Now let me get this straight: you have no experience
working in either a factory or a chemical plant, you have a degree in
journalism, not chemistry and you hope to make at least $20 an hour. Did I get all
that right?”
Mindy Cooper stared at the woman from Kutrate Kemical's HR
department. She could tell the woman was struggling to keep a straight face as
she went over Mindy’s application but Mindy didn’t mind. She’d cracked harder
nuts than this gal. “Yes,” she said sweetly, “you got everything right. Do you
have any openings?”
“Not for anyone with a degree in journalism,” the HR drone
assured her with a giggle. “Why on earth would you bother to apply here? And
why would you think we’d pay you 20 bucks an hour to do anything?”
Mindy raised an eyebrow. “I’m interested in expanding my
knowledge base,” she said. “I’m quite bright and I’m sure I could learn
any job you have open.”
“But why would you want to work here when you don’t have any
kind of science background?”
“It’s not too late to learn, is it?” Mindy’s Suspicious
Meter was cranking into overdrive. Clearly the people at Kutrate Kemicals didn’t
want to hire anyone with an IQ above 50. What were they hiding? What was behind
that super sweet apple pie smell that was currently filling the HR office?
“It’s never too late to learn but that’s what colleges are
for. We only hire people who already know about chemistry.”
“You don’t have any openings?” Mindy asked. “I’m willing to
take just about any job you have.”
“Well…there is an opening in the office. How are you at
clerical work?”
“Fantastic,” Mindy assured her.
“And how are you with working for…challenging personalities?”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve worked with some of the most
challenging personalities possible. I can get along with anyone.”
“We’ll have to see about that. It pays $7 an hour,” the
woman warned.
Seven bucks an hour! That was worse than the newspaper. Mindy
swallowed. She’d still be getting her salary from the Schuyler Square Times so the $7 was going to be sort of like icing
on the cake, only she was obviously going to have to work her butt off to get
it. “I’ll take it,” she said. “That is, if you’re offering it to me.”
“You’ll have to meet with the big boss first but I don’t see
any reason why he won’t give it to you. He’s getting pretty desperate for a
warm body to fill that spot.”
“How flattering,” Mindy murmured. “When can I meet him?”
“Turn around and say hello,” the HR woman said. “Mr. Morton,
this is Mindy Cooper. She’d like to be your new secretary.”
Mindy turned around and pasted a wide smile to her face but
the smile froze almost instantly. Mr. Morton, her potential new boss, was a
dead ringer for Warren Beatty.
Well, well, well! This
might turn out to be a fun assignment after all.
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