kelsey

Finding A Job

*WARNING* SPOILERS FOR TIGER'S CURSE
I was waiting in line for a temp job in Oregon. It was my turn soon and I was thinking about how I would deal with my death. I didn’t want to die so soon. How would I break the news to Sarah and Mike? Imagine all the things I have to miss out on, finding the right guy for me, marrying someone, having kids, having the best job, going to college.

“Next!” I step up to the lady in a pants suit.

“Name?”

“Kelsey Hayes.”

“Age?”

“Seventeen but I’m turning 18 in a week.”

“Are you a high school graduate?”

“Yes, I graduated two weeks ago. I plan on attending Chemeketa this fall.”

“Parents’ names?”

“Madison and Joshua Hayes, but my guardians are Sarah and Michael Neilson.”

“Guardians?”

“My parents died when I was a freshman.” It still hurts to talk about that. You would think that it would go away but I guess not.

“What happened to your face?”

“I was caught in a fire a while back at a school dance.”

“Miss Hayes, do you like animals?”

“Sure. Umm, I know how to feed them and…”

“Here.” She hands me a slip of paper that tells me to be at a circus at six in the morning. It was for the Circus Maurizio, a small circus at the fairgrounds.

NEEDED: A temporary worker for two weeks only. DUTIES: ticket sales, feeding the animals, and cleaning up after performances. NOTE: because the tiger and the dogs need 24/7 care, room and board are provided.

“Is there elephants there? I have to draw the line at picking up elephant droppings.”

She ignores my comment and says, “So you want the job or what?”

“Yeah I’ll take it.”

I drive home in Sarah’s hybrid and drove home.

*****

Living with Sarah and Mike was great, except for Sarah’s cooking. She was in the kitchen attacking a bowl with a spoon.

“Making vegan cookies again? What’s the special occasion?”

“It’s Sammy”s turn to bring treats to his playdate.”

I cover up my snicker by coughing.

“Kelsey Elizabeth Hayes, just because your mom was the best cookie baker in the world doesn’t mean I can’t make a decent treat.”

“It’s not your skills I doubt, it’s your ingredients,” picking up a jar, I read off the label, “Substitute nut butter, flax, protein powder. I’m surprised you don’t put recycled newspaper in them. Where’s the chocolate?”

“I use carob sometimes.”

“Carob is not chocolate. If you’re going to make cookies, you should make-”

“I know, pumpkin chocolate chip or double chocolate peanut butters. They’re really bad for you, Kelsey.”

“But they taste so good. Oh, by the way, I got a job over at the fairgrounds. I’m going to be cleaning up and feeding the animals at the circus.”

“Good for you! What kind of animals?”

“Dogs mostly. I think there’s a tiger but I don’t think I have to do anything dangerous. I do have to start early and will be sleeping there for the next two weeks.”

“Alright, we are always a phone call away. Make sure you take your medicine. I don’t want you to get sick without anyone nearby. Would you mind taking the brussels sprouts casserole a la ‘recycled newspaper’ out of the oven?” Just like that, our conversation was over.

I set the stinky casserole out on the table and Sarah calls the kids to the table. Mike comes home from work and sets his briefcase down. He kisses his wife and asks what the smell was.

I responded, “Brussels sprouts casserole.”

  “And I made cookies for Sammy’s playgroup, I’ll save you the best one.” Sarah was very proud of herself and Mike shoots me a look that she catches.

“If that’s the attitude you two are bringing to the table then you can clean up after dinner.”

“Aw, honey, don’t be mad.” He starts nuzzling her cheek and tries to get out of cleanup duty. I left and after dinner, I clean up.

Apparently , Mike negotiated well. Lucky him he got away with just putting the kids to sleep. I go to my nondescript room and set my alarm for 4:30 in the morning. I snuggle under my grandma’s quilt and fall asleep looking at the only pictures I have of my parents, other than the one of them in their elements. In my dream, I was being chased by a large tiger.