Chapter 3: Better days ahead
"Things will get better, one day, I'll be rich. " He said to himself as he ate dinner. When he was done with eating dinner, he took his bath and went to sleep.
When he woke up he had an idea, he was going to go and look for a job somewhere else that payed higher, while he was still working in the mine, if they accepted his offer, he would leave the mine and go to work in the other place, he would save up and look for ways to develop more income.
Hopefully, in a few months, he would have enough capital to invest and his money would be doubled.
It was morning but it was barely bright. Charlie took his tie from the bed and he knotted it while standing in front of the mirror. He wanted to look very presentable for the new job he was going for. He already had a place in mind and he has to go there and apply very early so he would meet up with work in the mine he worked for.
He took the bus and as soon as he got to the building, he felt very nervous... he shifted his tie multiple times and he felt very sweaty. The place seemed too big and expensive for him to be there.
He went to the receptionist, she was sitting behind a big desk.
"Good morning." He told her, his voice seemed more louder than he expected it to be. So it made him feel embarrassed when his voice echoed through the reception.
The receptionist was a pretty lady that wore a light blue shirt and dark coloured pants.
She took her eyes off the computer that was sitting on her desk in front of her and she looked at him dryly.
"Good morning, how can I help you sir." She said trying hard to smile but failing and then faking a smile but it wasn't feeling right on her cheeks so she just gave up altogether and kept her face straight. Weren't receptionists meant to be nice and not sassy.
"I'm here for an interview." Charlie said to her.
" You're early. " She said glancing at her wrist watch that seemed to be plastered on her small fine wrist.
" I know I'm early but I'm sure I'm not too early. It's just that I really need this interview." Charlie explained to her.
"What's your name?." She asked him with a small frown on her face. She seemed to be almost irritated by Charlie.
" Charlie Thompson. " He said to her sensing that she didn't like him but still hoping that she would accept him.
" When did you apply for this job interview?." She asked him.
" I found the job online just this morning and I applied and I got the opportunity to get an interview. " He explained to her.
" I see, " She started to say and then she glanced down at her computer, He thought she had gone back to her work and had ignored him but then she looked up at him again and she faked yet another smile, she said. " I'm sorry sir but the interview doesn't start until nine Am this morning. It's either you wait here in the lobby or you return back home and you have to arrive on or before nine AM, if not you'll not be allowed to enter into the interviewing room. " After she was done talking, Charlie could feel his heart beating fast.
"I can't wait here till nine AM." He told her.
"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do." She said and returned back to her work.
Charlie couldn't help but think of what he was going to do next. He was still standing in front of her desk but she acted as if he was invisible, she didn't pay any attention to him.
He was very confused, he didn't know whether he should choose to wait or just return back to the mine.
If he wasn't at The Place of Small Stones by eight AM, he would have to work extra hours on Sunday or face suspension and delay in withdrawal of Payment...
"I'm going to wait for the interview Miss." He told her and she smiled her fake smile yet again and he turned around to go to the lobby.
He sat down on one of the comfortable leather seats and he looked to the clock. It was 6:17 AM.
He was risking a lot of things to be here... If he went late to work, he would pay dearly for it and if he didn't get this job, things would turn sour.... He looked at the clock again, it was 6:18 AM. Time was going by too slow, he would have to wait for three hours to be interviewed.
He sighed, today might be a very long day. He held his hands together, it was very cold and he was shaking, almost shivering out of fear.
He was anxious and lots of sweat had been gathering and now they were forming drops like tear drops and slipping down his face even though the lobby room was cold. The air-conditioner seemed to be a distress to him. He could see that it was working but still he felt hot.
Every now and then he would look at the clock. And then he would feel his heart missing beats.
Finally, it was 6:30 and the first employee apart from the receptionist, arrived at work and then other employees started coming in one by one.
They didn't even glance his way as they walked past the lobby, it was as if he was invisible.
But he saw the way they dressed, both men and women, he saw their expensive hand bags and their expensive wrist watches, their shinny shoe, their well tailored clothings, he saw it all and he was willing to wait, hopefully, he would get a job here and then he would work his way to the top. He clenched his fist and he placed his forehead on his folded wrist and he sighed again.
"Mr Charlie." He heard and he raised his head up to look at who was calling him.
It was a man in dark blue suit.
"Good morning. I'm Charlie.... Mr Charlie Thompson." Charlie said to the man.
The man stretched out his hand in a handshake.
"I'm Mr Eric Cavill, I'm the CEO. The receptionist told me that you've been waiting here since six AM this morning, is that true?." He asked Charlie.
" Yes sir, it's true. I'm waiting to be interviewed. " Charlie said to the man.
" Come with me please. " The CEO told him and Charlie followed behind him.
He got into the elevator and pushed the button for the top floor.
When they get out of the elevator, he took Charlie to one of the rooms that had glass walls. Charlie was standing outside but he could see everything that was inside, he could see a bunch of men sitting round a big table.
"Those are the board of directors and today, they'll be interviewing the new workers, how many times have you been interviewed in the past?." The CEO asked Charlie.
" Plenty of times, maybe nine. " Charlie told the CEO.
" Okay, why are you wearing a striped tie instead of a blank tie. " The CEO asked Charlie. Looked held his tie and glanced down. He was about to tell the CEO that it was the only tie he had but he just apologized instead.
" I'm sorry sir. " Charlie told the man.
" Hopefully, the board of directors look past that and your shoes, brown suede?. " He asked Charlie. Charlie felt very nervous and he wanted the whole interrogation to end. Formerly, he knew that the CEO was impressed that he was punctual for the interview, but now the man looked very disappointed.
"I'm sorry sir, I didn't know that there was a dress code for the interview." Charlie said to he man.
The man was about to say something when the glass door opened and a man, probably one of the board of directors, was standing in front of the door with both his hands in his pockets in a very professional way.
" What's happening here?. " The man asked.
The CEO looked at Charlie and said.
" I'm sorry but this man can't work for us here." The CEO said.
" Why?. " The man asked the CEO with furrowed brows.
" Take a good look at him, you'll know why. " The CEO told the man. Charlie watched the man scrutinize him.
"Oh come on Eric, you can't just disqualify him because of his mode of dressing, we need to see his potential, this interview isn't based on dress code. "
" But dress code is essential. " the CEO told the man.
" It is essential but it is not necessary. " The man said to the CEO.
"As you say." The CEO said stepping away and turning around to leave.
Charlie turned around and saw the CEO press the button to the elevator and it opened.
Charlie took his attention away from the CEO and placed it on the man standing in front of the door.
"Good morning sir." Charlie said to the man that was standing in front of the door.
"Good morning young man, what's your name?."
"My name is Charlie, Mr Charlie Thompson." Charlie said to the man.
"Mr Charlie, why are you dressed like this?." The man asked Charlie.
"I'm sorry but I don't have any other clothes to wear, this is what I could afford but I promise to be very hardworking and diligent."
"We have to interview you first before you start to state how you can add your potential into building the company, we're ever growing and we need new potentials but we have to put you guys that are coming in for an interview under the radar and put you through some tests and you've failed the test of dressing, although I understand that you didn't have the necessary clothing but still... That factor can't be overlooked, now come with me, the others are waiting. " The man said and he walked past the door into the office
Charlie walked through the door and he didn't know how hard he should shut the door but he turned around and he shut it very gently. He didn't want to be responsible for breaking the door since it seemed very fragile.
He was interviewied and when he got out of the interview room, he felt like a pile of rocks and he felt like all his limbs had been exchanged with ply wood.
He took the elevator and went downstairs. He glanced at the lobby and he saw other people waiting to be interviewed. They were about twenty of them, he looked closely at them, they all wore plain ties, plain black shoes, plain white shirts.... They all passed the dressing code required... Charlie felt his heart cut. He felt that he had lost the spot already to the other people. He glanced at the clock in the reception, it was 10:39 AM.
He threw a glance at the receptionist, she was looking at his faded brown suede shoes. He quickly walked out of the reception and he hurried out of the building.
The board of directors informed him that he would receive a call from them and if he didn't, he should know that he didn't pass the requirements for the job and if he feels like, he should reapply but he should first wait for ninety business days before reapplying.
He kicked the hard ground and his suede shoes took most of the hit and it shielded his leg but it got torn in the process of the hit and now, his big toe was sticking out of the shoe. He used his hand to push his hair back and he sighed.
"Charlie, what is that you're wearing?." He heard and he turned around to see the mine supervisor standing very close to him.
"Good day sir." Charlie said but the man didn't reply his greeting.
"What is that you're wearing, is that the appropriate uniform for work?." The supervisor asked him with a harsh loud voice.
Charlie knew that the man was only being harsh to him because he was informed by the boss that Charlie had come to apply for his position.
"No sir, this is not the appropriate dress code but I promise you that next time, I won't wear it again."
"There will be no next time. I was watching you and I saw the time you came in for work today, it was almost eleven and you strode in here like a king with your torn apart shoe."
"I'm sorry sir, but there was an accident, that's why I came late today, I had never ever been late before, please don't fire me, please let there be a next time." Charlie said to the supervisor. He folded his hands on his chest and gave Charlie a scornful look, you're lucky that I'm in a good mood today, the next time this happens, you'll be kicked out without a pay and for your punishment, you're going to work here on Sunday without getting paid, at least I helped you, you know the necessary punishment.
He said as he walked away from Charlie.
Charlie cleaned his sweat and he returned to work.
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