Love Letter

Lynne:

It had taken me another two whole months to find a job. I had gone to over twenty interviews. From mailroom girl to assistant in some of the biggest publishing companies in New York. Of course, there were a lot of places I couldn't even get an interview with my little experience. I had received a phone call from Random House Publishing. It was the first time I received a phone call instead of calling and pleading to get an interview. I knew off the top of my head that they had published a few of Cannon River's books. The more recent ones, at least, since the first few he had published. They had heard high recommendations from a place I had interviewed; however, that place could not pick me since they did not have a spot for what I could be used at. Or at least that's what the voicemail said from a lady named Patricia that gave me a date, time, and location for my interview.

I appeared twenty minutes early dressed in a skirt suit. I was going to wear a pantsuit when Zach stopped me. "This is why you are not getting any jobs. You look like a ten-year-old. Come on," he said, helping me pick out the skirt combo I was now wearing. "That's better. You still look plenty young, but this should help," he said. The twins were graced with looking five years older than they really did. When they were seventeen, and we would go out to eat, the waitresses would ask if they wanted a beer, and I would have to let them know that they were still in high school. I am sure during college, they used this to their advantage.

I was greeted by Patricia, who was also in a skirt suit. She did a once over and must have been impressed since she smiled and told me Jimmy would be ready for me in a few minutes. With all the interviews I had given, I was seared to any nervousness. I had some tell me we were done after one question. I had to hold my tongue since it had taken me an hour to pick my outfit out, and they only gave me one question to show my actual worth. After a few minutes of sitting in the lobby, I hear the intercom come over on Patricia's desk. "I'm ready," is all the voice said and clicked off.

"Right this way, Miss Bettendorf," Patricia said, standing and leading me down the hallway to an office door. Giving the door two knocks, she opens it and leads me in. "Jimmy, this is Miss Bettendorf," Patricia says, stepping out of the office and closing the door.

"Miss Bettendorf, I have heard a lot about you. I am glad no one has snatched you up yet," Jimmy says, shaking my hand. Jimmy was older than I expected; he could be in his late sixties, maybe early seventies making me think of my grandpa.

"I hope it was all good things," I say, taking a seat when he motions me to.

"All good things," he says, sipping his coffee in front of him. It was three o'clock in the afternoon, and he was still drinking coffee. "Would you like some coffee or water before we get started?" he asks.

"I'm good. Thank you." I say, wondering if this will be a long interview or if he will cut it short when he finds out I am not qualified enough for the job.

"So it says you graduated in three and a half years from New York University. That's rather the accomplishment," he says, looking at my resume and then looking up to me.

"I guess you could say so," I say, thinking about how so many other publishing places asked why I had not taken the last semester to minor in something other than English.

"I do. It took me five years to finish my four-year degree," Jimmy says, chuckling. I relax a little into my chair. This interview had started out better than all of my other ones.

"Then I guess it is," I say, smiling back at the older man in front of me.

"Have you always wanted to go into publishing?" he asks me next.

"Yes. I knew I could try writing, but I knew I would be better at revising someone else's work," I say, keeping the smile on my face.

"Excellent," Jimmy says. "When can you start?" I was shocked at first and what to ask if he needed any other information from me, but I kept my mouth shut.