Memories of childhood were the dreams that stayed with you after you woke.

~Julian Barnes

Kate

New York was meant for the rich. Only the wealthy people could survive here and ironically , I ,one of the poorest people on planet earth lived here. The fact that I could eat everyday was a small miracle, the fact that I found a place to stay - even though it was a tiny shoebox apartment - was an even bigger miracle.

But I tried not to be pessimistic. Today I had an interview at Rutledge Towers and I couldn't be happier. I was optimistic to my very bones and I was determined that I wasn't going to let anything spoil my day

My white long-sleeved button down shirt was crisp and smooth and my pencil skirt was well ironed - I had even managed to tame the disaster that was my hair

While my bank account said I was poor -excluding the money my Dad had left behind for me which I refused to touch-, my clothes said a different thing about me totally because I still had the clothes and shoes from my former life. I hadn't changed much in size so I just bought new thrift store clothes whenever my budget would let me

I stepped into the lobby of Rutledge Towers and tried not to gawk at the luxuriousity of the place. Rutledge Towers was one of the biggest buildings in New York and had other branches in several other countries

Landing a job here would really help considering the bills I got piling up at home

I met the receptionist and gave her the name of the woman who I had an appointment with and she asked me to go to the sixteenth floor. Mind you, the building had sixty floors

I got in the elevator and pushed the button for floor sixteen and as the elevator ascended, I took time to stare at my reflection in the elevator walls. I looked clean and smart. Good. I needed to impress the woman

When the elevator doors opened, I stepped out and asked for directions until I got to an office around the corner with a name crested in black on the door. Sue Montgomery. She was the person I was supposed to be seeing

Taking a deep breath and hoping for the best, I knocked on her door and waited before I heard a flat " Come in

I opened the door, stepped in and closed it behind me facing her in the right manner and stood waiting for her to ask me to take a seat before sitting. I was not going to fuck this up

'Sit down' She said without looking up from the document she was staring at

I took the seat, which was placed directly in front of her and sat down. Sue Montgomery was a thin woman with fox-like feautures and blue eyes. She had an air about her that said she didn't take bullshit. If there was ever a picture of a disciplinarian, she would be it.

She finally looked up, placing the document on the desk next to her laptop. She laced her hands in front of he

"Why should we hire you?" She aske

Because you're hiring. The sarcastic in me thought but I kept her zipped and thrown in a basement. She was not going to be causing trouble for me today.

"I feel I'm the perfect person for the job." I said, my voice even

She raised a brow then leaned back in her chair, air of authority and al

"How so?" She asked

"I'm hardworking , strong-willed, independent and above all I need this job too much to take it for granted." I exhaled

She leaned forward, "You start work tomorrow. Now I would usually give you a day or two to prepare but we need a person for this post like yesterday." She said, her eyes on the document. "Can you meet up

Were my ears playing tricks on me or did I hear her right

"I got the job?" I croaked, my eyes bulging out of their sockets

"Yeah, that's what I said. I saw your certificate everything looks good. You should be okay." she got up from her seat and walked around her desk to lean on it next to me, "I expect you to start tomorrow, everything's pretty basic but I'll give you a rundown of whatever you need to know tomorrow." she said, extending her hand for a handshake

I got up and shook her hand ,my heart pounding in my ears. I freaking got the job . I couldn't believe it. I mean I came in here optimistic as hell but she barely asked two questions before she accepted me

" I will not let you down. " I said to her, unable to stop the smile pulling at my lip

"Here's to hoping you don't" She returned to her seat with a small smile, "See you tomorrow." She sai

I turned around and left, keeping my face blank while inside my head I was doing cartwheels and waving pom-poms in the air

Guess who just got a job paying five figure

••••••

That night, I couldn't sleep a wink. I got up super early the next morning, took my much needed coffee and ate breakfast

I'd already laid out a well ironed pantsuit and hung it up so it wouldn't get wrinkled. I hadn't bothered to do anything overly stylish with my hair since it would always bounce back to its natural ringlet form so I'd just put it in a ponytai

In less than an hour time, I was dressed and ready to conquer the world -at least in my hea

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I'd inherited Dad's grey eyes but that's where our similarities ended. Everything else I got from my grandmother. Or so I was told. She died before I could ever meet her

I was 5"5, tan skin with a modest cleavage. Although what I lacked in the front, I made up for in the back. Mom said I'd gotten my wide ass and hips from my Grandmother, along with my hair. The only trait I got from Mom was her short temper

It was still strange to me though. Going from having everything to nothing in the span of three years

Mom and Dad died in a fatal car crash, crushed into tiny pieces- at least that was what the report said. There was no body to bury

Apparently, Dad had left behind an unpaid debt so our house had been collected as payment

I had to move out and find my own place with my meagre savings and start a life. Before I landed this job as assistant to the head of HR, I'd been a waitress at a local restaurant downtown. Unfortunately, I had to resign because my boss was was a disgusting manwhor

When he'd begun making unprofessional remarks about how I looked in my work uniform, I'd confided in my coworker and I was told that was how it was around there and that if I wanted to keep my job, I'd let him have his way

I was horrified, but being the optimistic person I was, I'd believed that I could reason with him to see that it created a bad atmosphere at work. Until he'd "accidentally" grabbed my ass and I'd quit

I blinked, bringing myself back to the present. Suffice to say, I looked smart and ready and I was going to have a great da

I arrived at work by train and still made it ten minutes early. I waved the receptionist with a small smile on my face

" Hey." She beamed, "How are you

"Splendid. You

"I'm great. Have a nice day." She clipped as I passed her, entering the elevator

There was one other person in the elevator with me, a man maybe in his late forties or early fifties

He regarded me with a warm smile

"First day?

I blinked, taken aback, "Yeah, how did you know?

He waved a hand dismissively, "I know almost everyone who works here. Besides I'm not sure I'd forget you if I ever saw you." He said

Wasn't he a little too old to be hitting on me? "Um

His smile widened "Don't worry I'm married." he flashed his ring, " I meant your hair." he gestured with his hands, "It's unusual

Realization dawned on me, "Oh." I fingered it, "Yeah, everyone says that

The elevator stopped at my floor and I got ou

"Have a nice day. " I said to the ma

" You too." he waved as the elevator's doors closed

I moved around the floor saying hi to everyone I came across when Sue Montgomery came in, looking smart in a blazer and a button-down. I walked over to her

" Good-

" I'm so sorry I didn't show you to your office yesterday," she cut me off, "it totally escaped me

"Oh, it's okay. I just came in anyway." I waved it of

" This way." She led me in the direction of her office and continued on until we came across the last office . She opened the door for me with the hand that wasn't holding her ba

I stepped in. The room was big, spacious with a single wooden desk and an office chair at the centre and a couch by the left corner. It had a glass window that gave a beautiful view of the city and a painting on the wall. Suffice to say, it was nice

"What do you think?" She raised a bro

I smiled "It's lovely. Thank you

"I'll see you later." she said turning away with a throwaway 'get settled i

" Count on it. " I yelled after he

Thirty minutes later, I got a laptop and a little notebook, compliment of the company. My boss gave me the rundown on things and I got into work.Memories of childhood were the dreams that stayed with you after you woke

~Julian Barnes

Kate

New York was meant for the rich. Only the wealthy people could survive here and ironically , I ,one of the poorest people on planet earth lived here. The fact that I could eat everyday was a small miracle, the fact that I found a place to stay - even though it was a tiny shoebox apartment - was an even bigger miracle.

But I tried not to be pessimistic. Today I had an interview at Rutledge Towers and I couldn't be happier. I was optimistic to my very bones and I was determined that I wasn't going to let anything spoil my day

My white long-sleeved button down shirt was crisp and smooth and my pencil skirt was well ironed - I had even managed to tame the disaster that was my hair

While my bank account said I was poor -excluding the money my Dad had left behind for me which I refused to touch-, my clothes said a different thing about me totally because I still had the clothes and shoes from my former life. I hadn't changed much in size so I just bought new thrift store clothes whenever my budget would let me

I stepped into the lobby of Rutledge Towers and tried not to gawk at the luxuriousity of the place. Rutledge Towers was one of the biggest buildings in New York and had other branches in several other countries

Landing a job here would really help considering the bills I got piling up at home

I met the receptionist and gave her the name of the woman who I had an appointment with and she asked me to go to the sixteenth floor. Mind you, the building had sixty floors

I got in the elevator and pushed the button for floor sixteen and as the elevator ascended, I took time to stare at my reflection in the elevator walls. I looked clean and smart. Good. I needed to impress the woman

When the elevator doors opened, I stepped out and asked for directions until I got to an office around the corner with a name crested in black on the door. Sue Montgomery. She was the person I was supposed to be seeing

Taking a deep breath and hoping for the best, I knocked on her door and waited before I heard a flat " Come in

I opened the door, stepped in and closed it behind me facing her in the right manner and stood waiting for her to ask me to take a seat before sitting. I was not going to fuck this up

'Sit down' She said without looking up from the document she was staring at

I took the seat, which was placed directly in front of her and sat down. Sue Montgomery was a thin woman with fox-like feautures and blue eyes. She had an air about her that said she didn't take bullshit. If there was ever a picture of a disciplinarian, she would be it.

She finally looked up, placing the document on the desk next to her laptop. She laced her hands in front of he

"Why should we hire you?" She aske

Because you're hiring. The sarcastic in me thought but I kept her zipped and thrown in a basement. She was not going to be causing trouble for me today.

"I feel I'm the perfect person for the job." I said, my voice even

She raised a brow then leaned back in her chair, air of authority and al

"How so?" She asked

"I'm hardworking , strong-willed, independent and above all I need this job too much to take it for granted." I exhaled

She leaned forward, "You start work tomorrow. Now I would usually give you a day or two to prepare but we need a person for this post like yesterday." She said, her eyes on the document. "Can you meet up

Were my ears playing tricks on me or did I hear her right

"I got the job?" I croaked, my eyes bulging out of their sockets

"Yeah, that's what I said. I saw your certificate everything looks good. You should be okay." she got up from her seat and walked around her desk to lean on it next to me, "I expect you to start tomorrow, everything's pretty basic but I'll give you a rundown of whatever you need to know tomorrow." she said, extending her hand for a handshake

I got up and shook her hand ,my heart pounding in my ears. I freaking got the job . I couldn't believe it. I mean I came in here optimistic as hell but she barely asked two questions before she accepted me

" I will not let you down. " I said to her, unable to stop the smile pulling at my lip

"Here's to hoping you don't" She returned to her seat with a small smile, "See you tomorrow." She sai

I turned around and left, keeping my face blank while inside my head I was doing cartwheels and waving pom-poms in the air

Guess who just got a job paying five figure

••••••

That night, I couldn't sleep a wink. I got up super early the next morning, took my much needed coffee and ate breakfast

I'd already laid out a well ironed pantsuit and hung it up so it wouldn't get wrinkled. I hadn't bothered to do anything overly stylish with my hair since it would always bounce back to its natural ringlet form so I'd just put it in a ponytai

In less than an hour time, I was dressed and ready to conquer the world -at least in my hea

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I'd inherited Dad's grey eyes but that's where our similarities ended. Everything else I got from my grandmother. Or so I was told. She died before I could ever meet her

I was 5"5, tan skin with a modest cleavage. Although what I lacked in the front, I made up for in the back. Mom said I'd gotten my wide ass and hips from my Grandmother, along with my hair. The only trait I got from Mom was her short temper

It was still strange to me though. Going from having everything to nothing in the span of three years

Mom and Dad died in a fatal car crash, crushed into tiny pieces- at least that was what the report said. There was no body to bury

Apparently, Dad had left behind an unpaid debt so our house had been collected as payment

I had to move out and find my own place with my meagre savings and start a life. Before I landed this job as assistant to the head of HR, I'd been a waitress at a local restaurant downtown. Unfortunately, I had to resign because my boss was was a disgusting manwhor

When he'd begun making unprofessional remarks about how I looked in my work uniform, I'd confided in my coworker and I was told that was how it was around there and that if I wanted to keep my job, I'd let him have his way

I was horrified, but being the optimistic person I was, I'd believed that I could reason with him to see that it created a bad atmosphere at work. Until he'd "accidentally" grabbed my ass and I'd quit

I blinked, bringing myself back to the present. Suffice to say, I looked smart and ready and I was going to have a great da

I arrived at work by train and still made it ten minutes early. I waved the receptionist with a small smile on my face

" Hey." She beamed, "How are you

"Splendid. You

"I'm great. Have a nice day." She clipped as I passed her, entering the elevator

There was one other person in the elevator with me, a man maybe in his late forties or early fifties

He regarded me with a warm smile

"First day?

I blinked, taken aback, "Yeah, how did you know?

He waved a hand dismissively, "I know almost everyone who works here. Besides I'm not sure I'd forget you if I ever saw you." He said

Wasn't he a little too old to be hitting on me? "Um

His smile widened "Don't worry I'm married." he flashed his ring, " I meant your hair." he gestured with his hands, "It's unusual

Realization dawned on me, "Oh." I fingered it, "Yeah, everyone says that

The elevator stopped at my floor and I got ou

"Have a nice day. " I said to the ma

" You too." he waved as the elevator's doors closed

I moved around the floor saying hi to everyone I came across when Sue Montgomery came in, looking smart in a blazer and a button-down. I walked over to her

" Good-

" I'm so sorry I didn't show you to your office yesterday," she cut me off, "it totally escaped me

"Oh, it's okay. I just came in anyway." I waved it of

" This way." She led me in the direction of her office and continued on until we came across the last office . She opened the door for me with the hand that wasn't holding her ba

I stepped in. The room was big, spacious with a single wooden desk and an office chair at the centre and a couch by the left corner. It had a glass window that gave a beautiful view of the city and a painting on the wall. Suffice to say, it was nice

"What do you think?" She raised a bro

I smiled "It's lovely. Thank you

"I'll see you later." she said turning away with a throwaway 'get settled i

" Count on it. " I yelled after he

Thirty minutes later, I got a laptop and a little notebook, compliment of the company. My boss gave me the rundown on things and I got into work.