Portray

White Lie?

The weekend came and went with Friday and Saturday filled with job hunting and endless dread of returning home with no leads. Tray spent Sunday lounging around with Denise, while Aunt Vanita was out with church friends. Later that night, he swung by Don's. Though it wasn't optimal to go against his P.O's demands, he couldn't last another hour cooped up in the house. From there, he got the 411 scoop on what to expect for his interview. Aside from bringing his social security card and I.D., Don informed him he'd need to alter his resume—in which he had absolutely no legit work history—except dealing on the streets.
Don suggested adding that he worked at his uncle's junk yard. In a way of giving himself a better shot of getting hired.

Monday came and the WAREHOUSE alarm set on Tray's phone blares across the room. An hour and a half later, coffee in hand, he sat across from a white young-boy, who he figures was around his age. Throughout the interview, Tray was eying the man's terrible plaid suit. He looks like some old-school car salesmen, Tray thinks.

"I see your most recent job was at... Junk 4 Sale?" Todd asks, looking over Tray's falsified resume.

"That's right." Tray fakes confidence in his response and gives a head nod to sale it more.

"Was this your most recent source of income?" the young man asks.

Tray nods his head once more, hoping to God this didn't lead him down a rabbit hole.

He was concerned rather the paper reeked of being falsified to where it was even evident to the rookie interviewer. The kid wore a blank expressiom across his face and seems to have gone too long without saying antthing, so Tray interjects,

"I have also worked at Bebe's outlet during my senior year in high school."

Another lie.

"So you have experience in retail?"

The fabricated tale seems to have gotten him on a better foot in the interview. Tray goes through the process of explaining his job title he's never had, which in his mind, each word digs himself deeper into an uncomfortable position. Surprisingly, the guy eats it all up. Then Todd looks over his application submitted and goes over every box filled in. To his use of transportation down to his conviction. Fortunately he doesn't inquire on the reasons for the conviction. Tray was still sweating bullets.

Once the interview concludes, Todd takes him out to the main operating floor. This was a good sign for him.

"Over here is where we bring in new packages to be checked into inventory." Todd informs him.

Tray stops in front of a conveyer belt that outstretched to the large garage door.

"Most of the staff members here have tasks that fall behind different departments." Todd states, directing his hand toward a few employees taping labels onto empty boxes.

"Here is where boxes are labeled and sent to the packaging department."

"Is each department pay the same?" Tray inquires.

"Each department plays a big part on keeping things rolling on the floor, yet no one works more than the other. An employee tends to get more pay for a higher position such as a shift manager or supervisor." Todd informs him.

Tray listens, taking in the workflow of the floor.

"Speak of the devil," Todd directs his attention to a woman with shiny mahogany colored-hair. "This is Sherry, one of our best managers at this location."

The woman brushes the young boy off with a friendly wave, "He says this about half the staff. Don't be fooled by this kid."

"And who might you be?" The woman stands in short stature, her hazel eyes on Tray.

"Tray, good to meet--

"He's one of our new hires." Todd interrupts, "he's a friend of Darnell's, so expect trouble out of this one." The young kid's smile beams real brightly.

"Ohh, Don... I'm sure that you two being good friends, you'll do fine on the floor." Sherry says cheerfully, twirling her finger in her cherry red weave.

"No doubt." Tray replies.

In return, the woman part ways with the two men, leaving Tray to take in the full sight of her. Even in baggy khaki pants, they couldn't conceal her curvaceous body.

* * * *

Approximately one-forty in the afternoon, Tray returns to aunt Vanita's house from the interview. With an apparent pep in his stride, he raids the fridge and comes out with a can of Fanta orange pop with a strawberry pop-tart shoved in his mouth. The house was nearly silent besides Vanita's voice trailing from her bedroom as she spoke on the phone with clients. Once in the basement, he flops onto the couch with crumbs flaking down on his jacket. On the TV, he watches Judge Judy scrutinize people with ridiculous cases. In that moment, it dawns on him that he's never been so bored out of his mind.
He pictures himself as a wild bull only allowed a small field to roam in.