License to Shop Read Free Page B

more time, and cut to the chase with the most important
question. “Picture yourself faced with an eager young high school
student. He wants to know why our university is the best. So—what
are the top ten reasons a student should consider our
university?”
    That was a great question.
Unfortunately, my mind went blank. I hedged. “Well, to answer that,
I’d need to know the student’s ultimate goal. Is he intending to be
an engineer? A wood scientist? An MBA?”
    Her eyes narrowed, and I
stopped listing every possible major I could think of in order to
kick my brain into good-answer-mode. I’d never have a chance on
Jeopardy. As soon as it was my turn, my brain would freeze. My
mouth would keep going, but that rarely ended well.
    Just then, the room filled
with noise that made me want to cower. I was so focused on trying
to kick my brain into great-answer-mode, that the sound didn’t
compute for a second. Then it did. The fire alarm.
    We looked at each other as
if to ask if we should ignore the noise? As if anyone could ignore
deafening klaxons for very long.
    She stood, scooped up
Sofie and her cell phone, and left. I gathered my purse and
followed. Kecia was trying to manage the dry cleaning, her own
purse, Dr. Stubb’s purse, and the basket of agitated
puppies.
    I grabbed the two puppies
who had almost escaped from the basket, trying not to think about
how the dog fur was going to cling to my interview suit, and we
hurried out of the building, passing many of the other occupants,
who were walking at a normal pace, looking around to assess whether
it was a false alarm, or whether they could see flames or smell
smoke.
    I might have been one of
the curious amblers, if I wasn’t trying to impress Dr. Henriette
Stubbs as I followed her straight back and quick stride, with two
squirming puppies in my grasp. Was the interview still in progress?
Or was it on hold until the fire alarm situation was sorted? I
didn’t dare relax until I knew for sure.

 
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER TWO
    Interview Interruptus
     
    We gathered
slightly away from the building, all of us scanning the building,
as if expecting to see flames shooting out of the room. But there
were no flames. Not even any smoke. Just a lot of chattering people
speculating on how long it was going to take to get back into the
building. We could hear the fire engine siren in the distance,
growing closer.
    The woman who held the
fate of my “real” job in her hand looked at me, then looked at her
watch, an elegant gold bracelet-watch that was analog, not digital.
“How inconvenient. I’m afraid we’re going to have to reschedule if
this goes on too long.”
    I bit my lip, wondering if
I should confess I would have to leave shortly. I could bail on the
shop, but if I did, I’d never get the full spa treatment shop Sue,
my favorite scheduler, had promised me as my big send off to “real
job” world. After this interview, I really needed it.
    “ I brought the appointment
book,” Kecia took the book from the basket of squirming puppies and
held it up. Mega-points to her, not that her boss seemed impressed.
“I can start canceling last appointment first if you
like.”
    “ Yes. Do that, Kecia. That
will give us time to juggle everything else.” Dr. Stubbs checked
her phone as if she were expecting a text or a call. She turned her
back on us and started texting furiously.
    I moved a little closer to
Kecia, and listened as the last appointment for the day got
shuffled to tomorrow’s schedule while the fire trucks arrived. I
tried not to watch the minutes ticking by, as I was ignored. Should
I suggest that we could do the interview out here as well as
inside? What could I do out here that would make me look like a
good candidate for the job?
    I came up with nothing,
except to be patient and polite during the wait. Which wasn’t as
easy as it sounded, considering I was holding two squirmy puppies.
Kecia had put the basket down at her feet, so I dropped the