Linda Cummings did not understand why InGen Corporation had insisted on such a plethora of physical and psychological tests for an applicant for a sales position. However, she did know that she was desperate and the company's success undeniable. When asked to provide blood and DNA samples she offered no resistance. She was now waiting, nervously, for the follow-up call she had been promised. She was thirty-eight, far too experienced to be staring at the phone like a nervous teenager, but still, she was staring at the phone like a nervous teenager.
When it rang Linda took a deep breath and in a strong confident tone said, "Linda Cummings."
The voice on the other end was friendly and engaging, "Hello Linda, its Julie Deutsch. Great news! Everybody was very impressed by you and you blew away the testing, although I told them you'd test off the charts. Can you make it in for an interview?"
Linda smiled, mostly in joy, some in relief, and trying to sound calm said, "Of course, what day would be good for you?"
"First thing Monday morning if you're available."
Linda rejoiced. If they were bringing her in first it meant she was the prime candidate. She glanced at the blue suit she had bought for the interview. It would fit her better than her other suits - she had moved up another size - and although it had maxed out her credit card at the moment it seemed a wise investment.
"I am."
"Would 8:30 A.M. be too early?"
"No."
"Good, I'll see you then."
Linda hung up the phone and danced around the room; joyous music playing in her head. It had been eighteen months since InGen, a drug and bio-pharmaceutical company, had acquired Gomar Products, a small industrial cleaning products company in Raleigh, North Carolina. On its face the acquisition made little sense; the rumor was that InGen was interested in Gomar's research on microbes used to clean hazardous waste spills. The new division, however, had done surprisingly well, quickly expanding from 2% to 18% of the state-wide market. It made a point of hiring an older, more experienced, sales force. Before taking the job at InGen, Julie, for example, had been Director of Sales at one of Gomar's competitors.
Linda knew she needed a fresh start. Her sales had been declining for years. Although she preferred blaming her employer, Mendoz Bros., and the industry for its obsession with youth - the newest trend in sales was to hire cheerleaders straight out of college - she knew she carried more than her share of the blame. She had never really recovered from her divorce three years earlier. Her husband had fallen in love with a high school intern working at his office. After they married he and his bride had headed for the West Coast. All reports were he was doing better than ever.
While Linda had retained custody of their son she also started cruising the bar scene, picking up hard-bodied twenty-somethings. One night, after too much to drink, she crashed into a parked police car. While her lawyer was able to get her probation, she had lost custody of her boy. She also did not learn her lesson. And although she still hit the bar scene, hard-bodied twenty-somethings were becoming increasingly difficult to find as her lifestyle took a toll on her body. Reports from California were also not good; during his junior year her son had been suspended from school for two weeks for threatening a teacher; any additional misconduct would result in expulsion.
She stopped dancing, already huffing and puffing, trying to catch her breath. She looked in the mirror. She had put on twenty pounds. Her face was flabby, she sagged where she shouldn't, and her once bright blond hair, green eyes, and pink skin no longer glowed. She knew her performance at the office was suffering; her presentations were often sloppy and she dragged through many a morning nursing a hangover. InGen was a chance to turn her life around; the phone call from Julie a harbinger of good fortune.
* * * *
Julie greeted Linda with enthusiasm and a quick kiss on the cheek just as InGen's striking black receptionist was handing Linda a cup of coffee. Julie was wearing a top-of-the-line woman's suit with a brown leather dress and expensive leather boots; her hair, make-up, and nails were meticulous. Linda was immediately struck by how good Julie looked. The two had not been friends, but worked in the same industry, had often met, and knew each other. Julie had always been a beautiful woman, but was about five years older than Linda. At the moment she looked ten, maybe fifteen, years younger. It was not only that Julie was in terrific shape, there appeared not to be an ounce of fat on her slim, five foot ten inch body, but she moved with the power and strength of a twenty-year old. Her lightly freckled skin and red hair were luminescent. Linda followed Julie to her office where they sat on two cherry chairs that blended perfectly with the feminine surroundings. The discussion quickly turned to InGen's generous package of salary, commissions, and benefits. Linda soon realized if she wanted the job, it was hers.
After about forty-five minutes Julie shifted her position, her body language signaling that they were about to move to a more difficult part of their conversation.
"Now we get to the, let us say, politically incorrect part of the interview. I could give you some mumbo-jumbo about wellness programs and health care costs, but you and I both know, despite all the industry protests to the contrary, that much of what we do is based on appearance. I had the same bunch of nubile just-out-of-college-girls prowling around my former employer as you do at Mendoz. The employees here are expected to stay in shape and the company provides state-of-the-art facilities for us to do so. It's done wonders for me; I haven't felt this good for years."
Linda, who had wondered if she should mention the change, said, "I've noticed, you look amazing."
Julie leaned forward, her hazel eyes twinkling, and placed a hand on Linda's knee, "Thank you dear," and then continued, "We expect you to commit to the company's wellness program. Your first two weeks here will be devoted to that and classroom work about our products and sales techniques. If that goes well you will make several sales calls during the following fortnight. If these go as expected, you will be hired full time. Until then you are on probation, but will draw a full salary and commissions." Then, lightening the atmosphere, Julie related her "favorite benefit," an expense account at certain high end woman's stores credited against future commissions. Linda fully sympathized with Julie's next comment, "After all, we gotta look great."
Julie checked her iPad. "You indicated you have six weeks of vacation accrued with Mendoz. Let them know you'll be taking two weeks off. If after the first two weeks here things don't work out you can return to them, no questions asked."
