The Doorknob

The Music

As the door of the apartment building closes behind me, I decide to turn left. I think the coffee place was this way, though it's not like my brain has been up to par this morning. Turning the corner, I almost run into a metal fence surrounding a cafe-style patio full of tables, chairs, and umbrellas. I stop abruptly, catching my hand on the rough black metal to avoid smacking into it. Guess I found the coffee shop, I muse, circling around the extended pavement to the open front door.

I stare into the shop as I pass the floor-to-ceiling glass, pleasantly surprised by the homey atmosphere inside. I then notice a few customers are seated out on the patio, so I quickly drop my gaze to the concrete. I'm soon enveloped by the warm brown and orange of the painted walls and the autumnal smells of pumpkin spice and caramel inside the shop.

I'm a basic bitch, I won't deny it, I smile to myself.

As I stand in line with the other late-morning patrons, I find myself lost in thought. I need to start looking for a job, or I won't be able to afford even the cheap place I have. I have almost no marketable skills, though, and nobody will want to hire a uni dropout. And I've not had the best luck in work experience, either. Plus, I should apply to jobs that will help me achieve my career goals. Fuck, I need to decide what those even are, I have no idea what I want to do with my life.

"Hello, sir, what can I get for you today?" I hear a young woman's voice, maybe close to my age, and I realize I've not moved - I'm still about five feet from the counter, and my cheeks flush as I take a few large strides forward. Hell, it's going to be quite a day, with only my laptop to distract me and nothing but problems running circles in my mind.

"Uh, yeah, hi, I'll have the..." I stare at the menu, lost for a moment, before my eyes find the caramel macchiato on their list. "A large caramel macchiato, please," I say with slightly more confidence. "Oh! And my name's Dan," I add, feeling a bit awkward as she types my name and order, and my eyes wander the counter. Do I want a banana, as well? I'm not all that hungry, a granola bar, perhaps? I continue to scan, then pause as my eyes catch on a tiny placard behind the bowl of fruit.

Now Hiring - request an application from your barista

The woman is staring at me now, and I realize she's finished ringing me up. I read the total off the display as I fish for my wallet, though I'm sure she's already told me how much I owe, and hand over a couple bills.

"Can I also get an application?" I blurt out, before I let myself think too much on it. The woman gives me a look - I guess I'd kind of shouted - as she hands me my change and receipt. She then reaches down under the register and pulls out a double-sided piece of paper, sliding it across the countertop toward me.

"Your order will be ready in just a minute," she continues, and I take the words as a dismissal. I decide to wait in the corner of the shop and walk over, application in hand. I give the form a once-over. Well, I won't be getting rich working here, but at least I'll have some sort of income. I jump when my name is called - had I been zoning out again? - before I grab the to-go cup and head back toward my flat. It only takes a minute to arrive at the front door, but I've already scanned over the requisite information for the application and made note of which answers I'll need to bullshit to sound more "cooperative" and "team-oriented".

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"Give an example of a time you had to work with a very frustrated customer - how did you resolve his/her problem while maintaining a professional demeanor and promoting a positive view of the establishment?" I read the prompt aloud in a high-pitched voice before shoving a slice of pizza in my mouth. I think I'm doing a great impression of an overly chipper interviewer. "Usually, when dealing with frustrated customers, I run away and let someone else deal with it!" I answer myself, aloud, in the most obnoxious tone I can come up with; my bitter laugh drowns out the Radiohead playing from my laptop for a moment.