Meetingpub

Meeting Jack Kemble

By Sky Corgan

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copyright 2013 by Sky Corgan

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rights reserved.

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part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
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permission of the author.

I
needed a job, and it didn't matter where. Going home everyday was
like walking into a never-ending nagfest thanks to my portion of the
rent being overdue. Of course, I couldn't blame my roommate for being
mad. We had gone through this time and time again. I'd get a job,
screw something up, and be back out looking for another one within a
few weeks. More often than not, I'd barely have scrounged up enough
money for my portion of the rent.

“
I
don't understand why you can't just stick with one thing,”
Mandy complained. She'd been my roommate for the past two years, but
I was beginning to fear that arrangement was coming to a close. I
could see the weariness on her pale face, the same look I'd seen on
my previous roommate's face before she gave me the boot in lieu of a
more stable friend. It hurt to think the same thing might happen
again, but I really didn't know what to do about it. “If jobs
were supposed to be fun, they wouldn't call it a job. They'd call it
happy eight hours of the day,” Mandy continued.

“
I
know,” I sighed, resting my head between my arms on the table,
so I wouldn't have to look at the disappointment on her face anymore.

“
I
don't know how much longer my Dad is going to help flip for your part
of the rent. He's getting really agitated with this whole thing.”

“
I
just need a little more time.”

“
Where
all did you go today?”

Now
the interrogations began. I knew what she was getting at. Mandy
thought I really wasn't looking for a job, that while she went to
school and work, I moped around the house or went out with friends.
She'd caught me lying before. It was an isolated incident where I had
gotten fed up with the search and decided to go have a beer with our
friend Eric instead. Eric had paid, so I couldn't see what the big
deal was. Besides, I had needed a break. Job hunting is exhausting.

I
groaned, feeling my anxiety levels rising. To keep the peace, I
needed to keep my cool. If Mandy kicked me out, I'd be screwed. I
wasn't on good terms with my parents, and none of our other friends
were dumb enough to room with me. None of them, except for Eric.

It
was a thought, but I definitely didn't want to go there. Eric had a
crush on me from the moment we met in college. He pursued me
relentlessly for about a year, but he eventually gave up when he
realized it wasn't going to happen. Occasionally, Eric would drop a
hint or two, but I'd quickly dash his dreams by turning it into a
joke. Living in close quarters with him wasn't a comfortable thought.

“
I
went to a few restaurants and gas stations,” I finally
responded.

“
How
many is a few?”

My
jaw clenched involuntarily. “Two restaurants and a gas station.
Would you like to know the addresses and the times I went as well?
Perhaps you'd like the phone numbers so you can call and find out if
I was actually there?”

“
Jen,
stop.” She rolled her eyes, quickly blowing off my bad
attitude. “When you go to one gas station, it's not gas
stations plural. Three places aren't enough. I hate to tell you this,
but you have until the end of the month to get a job, and if you
don't stick with the next one, I don't think we can do this anymore.”

My
heart sank.
Damn.
I knew this was coming. What am I going to do now?

“
Listen,”
Mandy's voice softened as she watched depression flood my face. “I
don't want to lose you as a roommate. You're a really cool girl; you
just need . . . Maybe you're not applying for the right kind of jobs.
Maybe you should try something out of the public eye.”

“
I'm
not qualified for anything better than restaurants, gas stations, or
retail,” I grumbled, now wishing I had stayed in college. It
was too late to go back though. My parents had cut off my funding
long ago, and I couldn't afford to send myself. Besides, so many
years had passed that I'd feel old compared to everyone else there.
It made me cringe to think thirty was just around the corner. Where
had the time gone? Wasn't life supposed to be getting better by your
thirties? Not for me, apparently. I had managed to screw that up too.

“
There
are other jobs that don't require a degree. Better jobs,” Mandy
gave encouragement. I looked up into her small blue eyes, made even
beadier behind coke-bottle glasses. She was not a looker, but what
she hadn't been blessed with in attractiveness she made up for with
intelligence. While I had dropped out of college after one semester,
Mandy was only one semester away from graduating Summa Cum Laude with
an MBA in Business from New York University.

For
all the nagging that she did about me getting a job, I couldn't
understand why she hadn't gotten a better one. Mandy had worked at
the bowling alley since we were teenagers, and she showed no signs of
giving it up until her college education was complete. I suppose that
was all well and good if you had wealthy parents to leech off in your
times of need, but I couldn't help but think life could be better for
both of us if Mandy put the degree she already had to good use. That
was just me being selfish though.

“
Well,
if you find one, let me know,” I said.

“
Actually,
that's kind of what I was thinking of doing,” she replied
hesitantly, and I could tell she was afraid I wouldn't like where she
was going with this. I arched an eyebrow quizzically. “I could
get online and see if I could find something for you.”

“
You
don't think I've been looking online?” I huffed.

“
I
just . . . think you've probably passed up a few opportunities that
might have been good for you. I mean, this restaurant thing obviously
isn't working out. How many restaurant jobs have you had this past
year? Three?”

“
Five,”
I corrected Mandy, cringing at my own answer. It sounded a lot worse
when I put it in perspective. Five restaurant jobs, two gas-station
jobs, and one job at a car wash, which was the most miserable of the
eight, though it made the most money. Having a nice body and a wet
T-shirt helped me get tips, but it was also horribly degrading.

“
Just,
let me see if I can find something I think you'll be better suited
for.”

“
How
do you know what kind of job I'll want?” I asked incredulously.

“
I'm
your closest friend, right?”

“
Yes,”
I replied hesitantly.

“
I
know you better than you know yourself. Trust me.”

“
Fine.”
I gave in with a sigh. If this got her off my back for a while, then
it would be worth it. Besides, I didn't have to accept anything she
picked out for me.

“
Good.
It's settled then.” Mandy's face brightened in triumph.

By
the following day, my phone was ringing off the hook with people
wanting to interview me. Whatever Mandy had done, it had worked, and
while I was glad, I was also a bit apprehensive. It felt strange
having to act excited about jobs that I knew nothing about.

Keeping
up with my part, I went out to meet every prospective employer who
called. The jobs Mandy had applied me for varied, as if she had
literally gone down a list and put me in for anything she thought
might take me. I did countless interviews for custodial work, mail
room positions, retail stocking, and even a traveling inventory
position. No one seemed very interested in hiring me though once they
began going over my resume of jobs past.

After
a week of no luck, Mandy gave me a pep talk about how to interview.
The moral of the story was lie lie lie. Tell the employer what they
wanted to hear, not the truth. Play up your strengths. Avoid talking
about your weaknesses, and when you're forced to, try to twist them
into a positive light.

Despite
all my effort, the end of the month was quickly approaching, and I
was still jobless. Tension was rising between Mandy and I since she
grilled me every night about where I had gone and what I had said
during my interviews. It was getting to the point I was just about
ready to walk out on my own.

“
What
do you have lined up for tomorrow?” she asked with a hint of
agitation in her voice.

“
I've
got an interview to be a bather at Poppy's Pet Grooming at nine, and
then in the afternoon I have an interview to be an office assistant
at Syngex Incorporated.”

“
You
probably won't get the Syngex job,” Mandy commented dryly.

“
Then
why did you apply me for it?” I gritted my teeth.

“
Half
of the job postings didn't have the company name listed. I mainly
just applied you based on job description.”

“
Well
then, I guess I won't bother going to that one.”

“
Go
anyway.”

“
Why?
If it's a waste of time, then what's the point?”

She
thought for a moment. “It might not be a waste of your time.
They probably won't put you anywhere near Jack Kemble. I was just
over thinking things when I said that.”

“
Who's
Jack Kemble and why does it matter if I'm near him or not?” I
arched an eyebrow.

She
shook her head. “No wonder you haven't gotten a job yet.
Haven't you been researching these companies before you've gone out
to them?”

“
No.”

“
Jennifer!”
Mandy raised her voice, a clear sign of disappointment. When I didn't
respond, she continued, “Jack Kemble owns Syngex Incorporated.
The guy is a celebrity around here. I'm surprised you've never heard
of him.”

“
I
could not care less about businessmen.”

“
He's
not just any businessman. He's wealthy beyond words and ridiculously
attractive. He was dating that one girl from your favorite movie.”

“
Interesting,”
I replied, not really caring. “Yeah, if this guy is as big a
deal as you're making him out to be, then I doubt they'd put me
anywhere near him.”

“
You're
probably right. The reason I said I didn't think you'd get it though
is because he has a certain taste for blondes.” Mandy glanced
at my long dark-brown hair.

“
Well,
I want to work for him, not fuck him.”

“
From
what I've heard, you don't do one without the other. But again,
that's only if you work close to him. You'll probably never even see
him.”