Something Worth Living For (Watty Awards 2011)

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

The next day, Eric sat anxiously awaiting Mr Byron, the executive and founder of Sports Inc. Three other co-workers sat in the outer office of the fourteenth floor building, all anxiously awaiting their fate.

The room was simply decorated, with its light brown walls, upon which hung several blown up portraits of many sporting legends that had achieved greatness over the fast fifty decades. Eric recognised many of them, some of which had inspired him as a little boy to start a career in sports himself.

Over the years he'd tried his hand in baseball, basketball, hockey, even football. But after realising his talents lie elsewhere, Eric decided that an anchor, interviewing the next sporting legends of the coming decades would have to do.

Eric was good at his job, and he was proud of it. But he never really considered this a job. Being sent to games and then writing about it for the Sport Inc magazine was one of the best gigs anyone could ask for. He was practically being paid to do the things he loved the most: watching sports and then writing about it. Plus he's stories gets televised over the sport network. He might be the one who researchers the story and not the anchor broadcasting to the viewers. But one day that would all change and it would all start once he got this job.

Eric looked about him at the hopefuls that were in the running for the position. He knew that they had more experience then he did and that would work in there favour, but Mr Byron had a reputation of being fair and definitely wouldn't judge them on experience alone.

He would be looking for someone with drive, who could handle the pressure of a live on-air interview and he was that man. He'd made it perfectly clear that he would give this job his all that he was willing to go that extra mile and by the satisfied gleam in Mr Byron's eyes, Eric knew he had a good chance of getting the position.

Pulling back the sleeve of his pinstripe black suit, he checked the time on his watch. It was just shy of ten o'clock, the time that Mr Byron's e-mail - sent by his secretary - had said he would be seeing those he intended to inform about the position.

Feeling impatient now, Eric looked up at the secretary, who only smiled politely when she saw him looking at her. If she saw the impatient look on his face she didn't give any indication that she had, obviously playing the role of friendly, helpful secretary to the fullest.

Feeling his nerves escalate suddenly, he took a deep calming breathe and let it out slowly through his nose just as the secretary's voice filled the room, seeming to have awoken them all.

Snapping his head in her direction he heard her say, "Yes Mr Byron." Then looking directly at him she smiled, "Mr Denton, Mr Byron will see you now."

He nodded his head in acknowledgment as he got up and then mumbled a thanks to her as he passed her desk. With his hand on the doorknob, he closed his eyes and took another calming breathe. Feeling a bit better, though still nervous, he decided the best thing to do was get it over with.

Besides what was the worst he could say, "Eric, I'm sorry but you're not what we are looking for"? That would be worst thing, him not getting the job. He'd only be back to square one and that is a place he desperately wanted to get away from.

Opening the one of the double doors, he entered the most important room of the building. This was the place, the moment that would shape the rest of his future and with one word Mr Byron would be the one to decide whether that future would be spent right here, where he would stay for who knows how long, or whether he would spend it in New York, moving up in the world.

He really hoped it was the latter.

Eric shut the door behind him and turned to face Mr Byron. The office was massive, with an enormous oak desk that stood to one side of the office; behind it glass windows that spanned from one side of the wall to the other, creating an open atmosphere within the room,