A Piece of Cake

The first day on a new job is always a tough one. Not for Sandi Cooper, however. Sandi's the cub reporter on the Schuyler Square Times and since she has no interest or curiosity in her subjects, her first day is proving to be a piece of cake and is making her wonder why everyone says journalism is a dying field...

"So...um...is there anything else you want to tell me?" Sandi picked at her nails. Time for a manicure. She'd stop by a nail spa once this wind bag finally shut up.

Laura Brady, principal of Schuyler Square High School, shook her head. "I don't have another thing to say. No one cheated on those tests. The kids all did better because they studied and because our teachers did such an amazing job teaching. The department of education should be proud of our school, not investigating us!"

"Well, okay," Sandi replied as she stifled a yawn. Good grief--who cared about test scores anyway? "That seems to sum everything up. Thanks for talking to me, Mrs. Brady."

"You don't have any more questions?" Laura asked warily.

"None that I can think of. Why? Is there something else you want to tell me?"

"Just put in your story that I'm not a liar or a cheat and that none of my teachers are liars or cheaters. My only explanation on how all those tests got their answers changed is that it's very possible my secretary did it. I had to reprimand her for taking too long at her lunches and I think this may be her way of retaliating."

"You want me to write that your secretary actually fixed all those tests?"

"Yes, I do," Laura said firmly.

"I suppose I should talk to her," Sandi said. "You know, get a quote from her."

"That's impossible. She quit her job and moved to the Florida Keys. You'll have to take my word for it."

"Okay," Sandi said, snapping her notebook shut. "Thanks for talking to me, Laura. You're my very first interview."

"I never would have guessed," Laura replied. "You're so... professional." She looked Sandi up and down before sniffing loudly. "Although I do think that you might want to consider a slightly less flashy wardrobe when you go out to meet the public. The press should look conservative. You look like a trollop in that low cut top and those heels."

Sandi shrugged. "And you look like a bag lady who just ate a lemon. To each their own, right? So this story will be in the paper tomorrow. Let me take your picture."

Laura instantly held up a hand in front of her face. "I don't want my picture taken! Just write the story and blame the secretary."

"You got it," Sandi said agreeably. She didn't blame the principal for not wanting her picture taken. If Sandi had on a grey suit with that drab white blouse she wouldn't want her picture taken either. This journalism stuff was a piece of cake. All she had to do now was go back to the paper, write up her story and get her next assignment. This was sooo much better than her last job. Then again, just about any job was better than waitressing at an all you can eat buffet. "Thanks. I'll see you around, Laura."

Next stop: Nails R Us.