Jan moved to the big city a few years ago right after graduating from high school. Quickly she realized she should have found a job before moving.
"I'm really sorry; Miss Engels, but I've hired young people fresh from the farm on several occasions and about the time they reached the point where they could start paying back the cost of training, each one suddenly got homesick and went home."
"But I would never do that; I'll sign a contract if necessary."
"Then if you quit, I could sue you. For what, dear, the clothes on your back?"
At a fast food restaurant, she found some part time work. She had no place to stay except the backseat of her old car. The problem with that was finding a safe place to park it.
Jan lived like that for nearly a year, searching for a job all day, working sometimes in the evenings. Finally she realized that she couldn't go on. With frugality born of sheer desperation, she'd tried to set aside enough money for the gas it would take to get home, but she had managed only a few dollars. She'd have to call her mother collect, and ask her to wire enough money to get back. She dreaded making that call. She dreaded going back to everyone laughing at her and her big talk about moving to the city. A mile of crow was waiting for her to eat and every mouth filled with, "I told you so."
At a bus depot, she cleaned herself up as much as possible. She'd never realized what a luxury a bathroom was. So many things she'd taken for granted before she decided to move to the big city. She had one more interview set up last week by an employment agency. The job counselor had been enthusiastic about the mail room training position but Jan had let her hopes soar too many times from the super positive attitude of agents. Their job was to get you hyped up to be sure you showed up. She would keep that interview just to put off calling her mother one more day.
The address turned out to be a forty story building. The insurance company occupied two floors. The personnel office was on the fourth floor and she entered to find three young girls ahead of her. She was surprised because, in her job hunting experience, mail clerk jobs were usually sought after by young men, as though the title actually read "male clerk". The receptionist gave her some forms to fill out and she busied herself with that. The young ladies were summoned to an office and came out relatively quickly. Much before she expected it, the receptionist called her name.
Inside the very lushly appointed office, a woman of statuesque size and beauty met her at the door and extended her hand with a broad smile, "Good Morning, Ms Engels, I'm Ms Matthews; you're here about the mail clerk position?"
"Yes, I'm very impressed with this company and would very much like to get a starting position in some capacity."
"Well, the mail room is an entry level position but a bright and ambitious girl could quickly work her way up from there."
"That sounds just fine to me, exactly what I've been looking for."
"I think your application is in good order. You've been in the city long enough to show you're determined to stay."
"Yes, I've made up my mind to remain here."
"But you're probably tired of working for peanuts and living in flop houses."
"Well, I've had a difficult time..."
"Maybe you'd like to show me how much you want this job."
"Why, certainly, but how do you mean?"