The Interview

A Story by Anirban

It was a red letter day for James. Sitting on a cold chair he was eagerly anticipating the call for his interview. Yes, his interview at Fresco as the Computer-In-Charge. But this was no ordinary interview. This was special. Special because it marked his 25^th interview in a row after he was fired from Brookes and Bards’ for misconduct and late attendance. The last 24 of the interviews were terribly screwed up but it was different today. The moment he entered the building he had this gut feeling that he was going to get the job. It was his 25^th interview and being a spiritual man as he was, he believed God would look up at him and things would change thereon. The morning newspaper testified for it. He had read that the day was extremely propitious and promising for Aquarians and he had no reason to fear losing the job to a competition. Maybe that was a reason why he sat on the chair, relaxed when the other candidates, around 20 of them, paced up and down the waiting hall rehearsing their best lines that they would throw at the interviewer once they are called in. He was scheduled to go the last and so he used the time to indulge himself in a weekly magazine. He wasn’t deterred by the fact that there were 20 other people going before him and all of them had equal chances of getting through. Every time someone got out of the interview room, he looked up, looked at the sunken face and went back to reading the magazine. It was then that he realised a continuous vibration in his left pocket. His cell was vibrating. He took it out to answer the call. It was Missy, his wife. She innocently complained that there was no butter and asked him to pick up a packet on his way home. She wished him luck and ended the call. He was left with a faint smile. He and Missy were married for five years now. He had met Missy at an annual office party of Fresco and started going out with her. Love brewed and marriage followed suit. She left her job after the marriage. She had never given him a chance to complain. She had been the perfect housewife who catered to every of his needs. When he lost the job, she was almost in tears. But she had confidence on him. She was supportive all throughout. It was he who failed to keep her happy. It was he who couldn’t fulfil her dreams, her aspirations. As he thought about it, the thought left him unsettled. He thought of the merry times that he’d spent with Missy when he was in New Jersey and the picnics they used to plan for themselves just to get closer to each other. He thought of the times he had scorned Missy over some petite issue or the other. He felt sick, sorry. The girl loved him. It was pure unconditional love. But he had always hurt her in some way or the other. He thought of the times he hadn’t given her enough time and chose to go out with friends over her. He felt a strange churning in his stomach. He stood up with a resolute mind. He had hurt her enough. It was time that he would make it up for her. It was time he would do something special for her like his bachelor days when the only thing that lurked his mind was how to impress her. He planned a grand dinner for her where he would apologise for all those times he’d hurt her. He could even sketch the whole scene on the back of his mind. He would arrange the dinner the very day he gets the salary of his new job and keep it a surprise for Missy. He could almost see Missy with tears in her eyes when he would apologise. He felt rather happy. Yes it was time to gift Missy a good time. When he looked up again, withdrawing himself from his chain of thoughts, he saw only three of them were left for the interview. The guy next up was a fat, bald man in his forties who looked more of a roadside hamburger seller than anything else. James smiled at the man’s ill sense of dressing. He was sure to not be selected. Now it was only two of them. The other guy was a beautiful physical specimen with a broad jaw line and a confident face. James started a conversation and learnt that the guy worked as the head of the computer department in a firm in Massachusetts and his name was Daniel. James suddenly realised how strong his competition was and resorted to the usual deal striking with God. He prayed with all his heart against Daniel’s selection for the job. The silent prayers continued as time went by. Both of them saw the door open and the bald fatty came out with an envelope. His prayers were heard. He was wrecked.