After almost 20 years with the same company I lost my job due to a large layoff. Having recently turned 50 I wasn't exactly looking forward to getting back into the interviewing game. I went on a few interviews that didn't pan out and then I received a recruitment call from an insurance company. They wanted me to come in for an interview and even though I pretty much knew this was a gig I didn't want I thought I might as well go. It's not like I had anything else to do.
I got to the office building a little early and I noticed a couple of other people waiting in their vehicles who also had the "interview look". It was then that I figured out this wasn't going to be a one-on-one interview. I waited a bit and then went inside, taking the elevator up to the 4th floor and found the office. I introduced myself and was guided to a room which already had a few other people waiting. I took a seat next to an older black woman. She had black/gray curly hair and she was slightly overweight. Since she was seated I couldn't tell if she had on a dress or a blouse/skirt combo but she was dressed appropriately for the meeting. I judged her to be in her late fifties.
As we got closer to the scheduled start time the room started filling up. There ended up being about a dozen of us with ages ranging from early twenties to about 60. Some were dressed professionally as I was wearing a business suit while others were, in my opinion, dressed too casually.
My seat neighbor introduced herself by her full name. I will call her Rose. I introduced myself and she shook my hand and said that it's a pleasure to me you Mr. Smith. She told me that she didn't know why they called here as sales were not in her background. We had a pleasant little chat learning a bit about each other. I warned her that these insurance companies tend to offer everyone a job, hoping that they find someone who will work out.
What I originally thought would be an interview turned into a seminar about the insurance company. We had been gathered as a group to be told about the company and the available sales positions which were both made to seem like the best things on earth. It was all very polished and glossy. As the presentation went on I kept taking more and more notice of Rose. There was something about her. Maybe it was just her large chest that I could make out despite her somewhat loose fitting top. As I've gotten older I've definitely taken more of an interest in older women. Now don't get me wrong, I still love women of all ages (well legal ones of course)! But when I was younger I never really paid attention to these classy, mature beauties. It also may be from growing up before the terms "cougar and milf" entered the lexicon. Still, I kept trying to take quick glances at Rose and wondering what it would be like to be with her. I've never been with a black woman but have wanted to for a long time. The idea of my white skin against a silken black woman is such a turn-on.
I knew pretty early on in the seminar that this wasn't for me. At the end we were given a sheet to fill out which asked us a few questions, most importantly it asked if we wanted to be called for a formal interview. I quickly checked the 'no' box. I just wanted to get out of there. I looked at Rose's paper and she had written a few lines of comment. I couldn't make out what she wrote but she had taken a lot of notes during the hour so I suspected she was more interested than I was. I leaned over to her and said that I was leaving but that I would wait downstairs in the lobby for her because I was interested in her thoughts. She smiled and said ok.
I took the elevator to the main floor and watched as some others from the seminar came and went. Not too much longer Rose showed up. Now was the time to turn up the charm. I told her that I thought it was an interesting presentation and I would love to hear what she had to say about it. I asked her if she was in a hurry and she said no. I said "Do you want to go grab a cup of coffee so we don't have to stand in this lobby? I want to hear your thoughts and I also loving meeting new people and making new friends." She agreed and we decided to meet up at a local coffee shop just up the road. I'm not a coffee drinker at all but I wanted to find a place she would feed comfortable but that we could also talk privately.
We entered the shop together and she ordered a coffee and I got a juice and paid for both of our drinks. She kept saying I didn't have to but I insisted that I invited her and it would be my pleasure. (And later my dear, I thought, you will be my pleasure!).
We took a seat in a booth and talked about what we had sat through. She said she was nervous but interested and thought she should go on the interview. I said that you definitely can make a lot of money in a job like this but to be wary. These companies will promise the world. The numbers he was giving us about the number of clients they had to me didn't mesh with a lot of employees making a lot of money. Two million customers isn't bad but with all these offices nationwide and all these agents they had and all these promises of wealth and prize trips and other benefits it all seemed a bit much to me.
I wanted to steer the conversation to a more personal level. I asked Rose more questions about her job history. I was trying to get her talking and opening up with me. I would also casually now and then try to make physical contact with her. I would reach out and lightly touch her arm to emphasize a point. I would briefly put my hand on hers when she told me about something positive in her life. She was divorced and had moved to our city a couple of years ago. Her children were grown and out on their own. I started to ask her about her divorce and then stopped, apologizing for prying into her private life.
I purposely did this as I needed Rose to volunteer the information to me. It was all part of my plan to lure this black beauty in. She said "no, no, it's ok. What do you want to know?" I again said I'm sorry but that I was a very open person and she could also ask me anything. I then proceeded to ask about the divorce; that she seemed like such a kind, beautiful woman that I didn't understand how someone could not want to be with her. She explained that he was a jerk and verbally abusive and eventually she had enough. I said "I'm so sorry. I'm sure that's been difficult for you." Rose said it was but that it was the best decision she's ever made.
Rose then commented on my wedding ring. I told her that yes I was married 'for now.' "It's a loveless, no, wait, that's not quite right. It's a 'likeless' marriage. She loves me but doesn't like or respect me. We are only together until the kids are out of the house. It's sexless too" I added.
