18 February 2013
*Chapter 1* Leaving school is a difficult time for a lot people so many paths to take your life down, having to choose one path and sticking to it was difficult for me. Having little qualifications after leaving school I had to find something that kept me entertained, something that I enjoyed and most of all something that paid well. After tirelessly searching for a job an old school friend of mine Josie told me of a part time job going at her workplace, it was a shop that sold all the regular healthcare products as well as that it also had its own photo processing area, where customers could drop off their 35mm film and come back to collect the prints at a later date. This part time job was helping with the photo counter.Josie asked excitedly "Are you going to go for it?" I sighed back "I don't really have a choice, I need a job, i would do or be anything right now just to earn a wage packet at the end of every month" "Great, I'll pick you up an application form, oh it's so exciting! We could be colleagues!" I rolled my eyes at her, as she skipped off back towards Simpsons Healthcare with glee. I sat on a the bench contemplating my unknown future. Ten minutes later my thoughts were interrupted by Josie beaming from ear to ear, hastily thrusting a bundle of paper into my hands. "Go fill those out now and return them after you've finished, I've got to go back now before they fire my ass for being late back off my lunch break" with that she turnt abruptly on her heels and walked off in the direction of Simpsons. Watching her walk away with her back to me, made me admire her fondly, she wasn't overly tall about 5"2', with long black hair that came to a stop where her bra strap was on her back, she walked with small dumpy steps in her flat black pumps, she wore black tights with her navy pencil skirt and white tunic, her brown cloth bag slung over her left shoulder was weighted and looked heavy as her stance leaned to the right to compensate the weight. Looking down at the papers in my hand, I walked into the library behind me found an empty table and sat myself down to fill in the application form, after 20 minutes of head scratching and writing, all whilst listening to the gentle hush of the library around me. I'd written down my whole life, education and meaningless jobs I'd ever had. Leaving the library I turned towards Simpsons and made the 200 yard walk to the front doors, the shop was located in a relatively quiet part of my sleepy home town of Wimborne. There were two sets of doors at the entrance of the shop. The fascia of the shop was navy and white and looked a little run down, forcing my way through the doors, I was greeted with an array of make counters, perfumeries, and hundreds of bottles, all lined up perfectly on the shelves. The shop had a beautiful smell, a concoction of all the different perfumes floating in the air. Making my way through the shop,I found Josie busily helping an elderly gentleman, she clocked me and lifting my right arm shook the papers which read out my life story. Josie smiled back, and continued to serve the gentleman with the best customer service I have ever seen, once bidding the man good day, she bounced over to me, snatching the papers out of my hand before I could willingly give them to her. "Oh this is going to be the best thing ever if you get the job! I'm going to personally give this to my manager right now" she blasted at me, her deep brown eyes smiling back at me, "Thanks Josie for this even if I don't get it, I appreciate what you've done for me" I glanced away feeling uncomfortable , "No problem at all Eve, I hope more than anyone you'll get it, speak to you soon". With that she bounded off towards the back of the shop with my life in her hands.
Being a teenager and having no job meant I spent most of my life in my bedroom at my parents house watching daytime telly, sulking that my friends were out earning a living, knowing the direction they wanted to take in life whilst I was still stuck at home contemplating mine. I faintly heard the telephone ringing and heard my mums soft voice answer it, them heard her pad the stairs gently and knock at my door. " Eve, telephone for you' she opened the door, and looked around in disgust at the state of my room which was an array of dirty clothes, plates and dust. She passed the phone to me and made a hasty exit grimacing as she took in the filth. I sat up in bed it was 9.40am, a disgusting time to still be in your bed clothes let alone still be in bed, putting the phone to my ear, I answered with a small but inquisitive "hello?" The voice that answered was a strong female voice I could tell straight away she was Scottish,"Hello, am i speaking with a Miss Evelyn Hardy?" Straight away I answered "Yes", "Ahh Miss Hardy, my name is Eleanor Royale, I'm the store manager of Simpsons, after reading your application form I'm hoping you could pop down and have an interview with me this afternoon?" With shock I almost dropped the phone "Yes..Yes I'd love to, what time would you like me there?" Scrambling out of bed, and searching for a pen and a bit of paper, finding a old takeaway napkin I wrote down the time "2pm? I'll see you then Ms. Royale". Arriving at the front of the store, dressed in a plum blouse, black suit trousers and black heels, I felt like a complete idiot, having hastily got dressed, and not owning anything that would be classed as proper attire, i had to borrow one of my sisters blouses that she wore to work and my mums black trousers. The only thing of mine I was wearing was my red matching bra and underwear and my black high heels. Having arrived a little before 2pm as 'being early for an interview was as important as the interview itself' as my mum had put it, one of her many pieces of advice she bestowed upon her children, being the youngest one of four children she often repeated what I had already heard before but you nodded with agreement and made out this was all new information to you. Stepping into the shop the sound of chatter and tills opening and closing drummed around the entire shop, I went up to the healthcare counter and saw Josie before she saw me "Oh My God! Don't you scrub up well?" She looked me up and down.. Then repeated the action once more, her face with her mouth wide open made me giggle as I did a swift turn around and put my hand on my hip as if posing like a super model. "I agree I do look good in this, but that doesn't stop me from feeling like a complete buffoon in it" Josie giggled back at me "I'll phone up to Eleanor and let her know your here" Looking at the clock it was 2pm. Perfect timing. Josie returned a minute later from behind a higher counter "I'm to escort you upstairs" in a rather over the top posh accent " But of course" I replied humouring her ridiculous accent further. I followed as she entered a code into a panel next to the door at the rear of the store and unlocked it, she walked in with me taking tender steps behind her, taking in all the new sights that were behind the scenes, once through the door we turned left and up one set of stairs then turned immediately right up another set, through another door which led us to what looked like a stockroom, full of metal shelves with stock stacked on them, the floor was a thick black colour and a radio gently hummed from the far corner, two staff were busily putting stock on the shelves from roll cages, taking no real notice of them I followed Josie to another door which entered into a long corridor, she stopped abruptly at one of the doors, and knocked loudly. I could see through the glass panel in the door, there was a lady with perfectly coifed blonde hair sat behind a desk without looking up, she waved Josie to enter, as she did Josie exclaimed " Evelyn Hardy for her interview Ellie" Eleanor looked up at me and smiled "Ah yes, take a seat Evelyn" gesturing to the empty chair opposite hers, Josie winked at me and whispered "good luck" with a smile she took off down the corridor in the direction we had just came as I stood on the threshold of the office I took in a deep breath steadied my hands and entered the room.
Brand New Love • Opuss № I