Once Upon A Time, A Thousand Tears Ago #Wattys2017

Chapter 2: The Interview

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I woke up early today. My heart is beating fast and I want to bring it back to its normal rhythm but all my efforts are going in vain. Today is my job interview and everyone in my home is awake. God, these people love me so much. I can tell by their faces that they didn’t sleep well last night, just like me.

My mom rushes to me saying, “Go take a bath quickly. I have already ironed your dress” I smile at her and hug her. She is happy and positive that I will get a job. My father moves to our direction and tells me, “My daughter will eat her favorite kebabs in the breakfast today, right?”

I look at him and he is assuring me in the pretty much same way like my mom that I will get this job. “Who eats kebab in morning, Papa. I love them but people usually don’t eat them in the breakfast.” I look at him chuckling.

“Zara dear, you don’t always have to do what people do and eating your breakfast is one of your decisions which shouldn’t be affected by ‘what people usually do’ kind of things” He says this with a small smile. He is a supportive father. Thanks to God, he gave me the best parents in the world.

I am all ready for the interview. Everybody is wishing me luck. My little sister gave me her lucky bracelet saying “It’s for good luck. It always worked for me. I hope it works for you too”. I give her a smile and a tight hug which she returns.

I go to the interview place with my father in our car. The interview is going to be in the building of the famous Sabah hospital. The hospital is neat and tidy. A few doctors are moving here and there. I can seriously feel the butterflies in my stomach and my heart rate is certainly audible up to 1000 miles. We asked the receptionist where the interview is held. She showed us the way to the interview room. As soon as I reach there I see approximately 25 people of different age groups sitting outside on the chairs. If these are the people that I am going to compete against, I am sure I will be thrown out after the first two minutes of the interview. I have lost all my self confidence in the past two years. But my father looked at me worriedly. I think he sensed the lack of confidence in me.

“You know you don’t have to compete with them.” I look at my father to see how he read my mind so perfectly. He continues,

“Your competition is not with them. Your competition is with your own self. You have to fight all the depressing feelings that make you feel that you are nothing. You have to show it to yourself that even the difficult times can never break you. You were an outstanding student Zara, you have shown your true worth many times. This is just another time which is going to test you. Just give your best and leave the rest to God.”

His words really changed the chemical balance inside my head. I am feeling confident. There is now an urge to make him feel proud of me once again in life. If there is ever a thing or a task that I have to do for myself, maybe I will not give my 100% to it. But when it comes to my family, I put in all my energies and effort in it. I am positive to do it one more time, this time.

“Thank you Miss. We will let you know about our final decision through an email” The interviewer says with a small smile.

“Thank you Sir. I will wait for it” I say confidently.

I walked out of the spacious room where three men of middle age and one man who was, I think, in his fifties were sitting to interview the candidates for the job. The interview went well. I answered every question appropriately. They were quite enthralled when they asked me about my interest in research when I answered them positively about how I plan to go in for research if given suitable opportunities.

“How was the interview, my princess?” My father asks me as if I am going to tell him that they have selected me for the job. “I think they were polite enough to tell me that they will send me an email about the rejection. They didn’t reject me directly” I smiled at my father knowing that now he will say all the positive words that I want to listen.

“I asked you about the interview, how it went”. He asked seriously.

“It was good Papa. I am happy with myself” I answer knowing what he wants to hear.

“Good. I knew you will do it fine. After all you are my daughter” He said it so politely that I felt like I had already won a battle.

We drove back home talking about the daily stuff. When I reach home my mom looked at me with a smile and assured me that trying is the first step to success. Next, my sister comes out running in the dining room and asks me about the interview. Everyone is happy that I did well in the interview. They are least concerned what the interviewers are thinking about me. Why are they all so supportive? I love them more than my life.

Two days gone and there is no email received after the interview session. It’s okay. Something I have become used to. I know that I answered every question truthfully. I did not exaggerate that I will move mountains from here to there or I will find the cure to every disease because I have that secret key to all great medicines. I answered what was true, what I would actually do in given circumstances. I know I have the tendency to work hard but for working hard you need a platform where you can put in your efforts. I am searching for that platform yet. Thinking about this interview again and again will not help. I should listen to some one direction songs. May be that will help to lift up some burden that I am feeling right now.

I open up my laptop and an email notification pops up. The email is from the director of the hospital. I quickly click the email to open and see what it says. The email is directed to me.

“Dr. Zara Arman,                       

This is to inform you that we have selected you as a successful candidate. Kindly fill in the attached document and report to your duty on this Monday. For details, check the attached document 2.

Hope it will be a pleasure working with you”

Yes, I got the job finally.

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