Experience Day

Part One: The Interview

The sign said it all:
Wanted
Cleaner
No experience needed
Training on the job

I held tightly onto my CV and my eyes wondered from the sign to the inside of the shop. I wanted to see if anyone was inside, but all I could see was my own reflection.

I was your average girl. 29 years of age. Average height, average body build. My hair was dark brown with a few dozen white strands and it flowed past my shoulder. I was wearing a white shirt, a pair of black trousers and trainers.

While I was looking at my reflection, I was thinking about abandoning this whole idea.

Throughout my teens I avoided this bike shop.

Too many rumours went round about the man who worked here, how he pinned girls down and forced himself on them. It was enough to keep me away. Until now.

When my mum mentioned the shop was hiring, I wrote up my CV, printed it out and planned to hand it over the next day.

The intention was there. But am I really going to do it?

The need to bring money coming in was the main motivation I needed to open the door and step inside.

No one was around.

An opportunity to leave. At least I can say I stepped in. However, I stayed and looked around.

There was a desk at the front of the shop on the right hand side, sitting proudly in it's little alcove. A store cupboard was behind the desk, which in turn created a little alcove to the left of the cupboard as well.

Next came the door to the back room. Past that, and filling up most of the left side of the double-sided shop, were the push-bikes. Some were even having on the wall.

Eventually a man came out of the back room.

And, holy crap, it was him. The one that all the girls used to talk about.

To me, he wasn't anything special. I estimated him to be 58 years old. Yes he had a little bit of arm muscle, but he also has a slightly protruding belly. His hair was white and dangled over the top of his ears. He was wearing a white v-neck t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

He walked over to me, all smiling and innocent.

"Hello," He said, his Essex accent coming through. "How can I help?"

"I saw the advertisement in the window," I said. "And thought I would drop of my CV."

"That's great. Hang on."

He went to the back door and shouted "Someone's here for the job!" Then he came back over to me.

"I'm Rob, by the way. And you are?"

"Jasmine," I said.

The door of the back room opened and a woman stepped out. She was a small woman, just about 5 foot. She was also chubby, someone who liked her food. She had grey hair that had a few strands of white and it flowed down her shoulders. She was wearing a denim blue cover-all and was wiping her hands on a cloth. Her moon-shaped glasses hung around her neck.

"You're here for the job, right?" The woman asked.

"Yes," I answered. "I'm Jasmine."

"Miriam. Have any experience? Any reference?"

"Not really, no. Did I need to get references?"

"No. Rob, how many applicants have we had?"

"None," said Rob.

Miriam sighed. I could hear the disappointment.

"How long have we run the advertisement for?" She asked.

"A week and a half."

"Let me look at that paper."

I handed Miriam my CV as she placed her glasses on the end of her nose. She scanned it rather than read it.

When she finished, she allowed her glasses to hang around her neck again and then folded the piece of paper in half and half again and then pocketed it.

"Take that sign down, Rob," she said. "I think we have our new cleaner, don't you?"

"Right you are," said Rob as he walked to the window to take the sign down.

"Well, this is exciting Jasmine. Our last cleaner, bless her heart, is 75 and would've continued to work here if she hadn't kept fallen asleep. Mind you, she retired before we could let her go. If she had stayed another week, we would've said goodbye."

"She must have thought highly about you for staying on so long." I said.

"Yes. And the fact that we were the only ones to have hired her. She came when she was 46."

"Oh, right."

Rob joined us with the advertisement now in his hand.

"Good," said Miriam. "Now, Jasmine, you will start early on Monday morning. Our day officially starts at 8am, but we require you to be here at 07:30. Is that doable?"

"It will be, yes" I said.

"Excellent. And just so I know, what size clothing are you?"

"14. For a uniform, right?"

"A cover-all. I don't like clothes getting mucked up in here."

"Okay."

"Good. Now run along home, Jasmine. We'll see you on Monday."