Convey This

My first job interview!
That's what keeps running in my mind over and over again, when I woke up.
I have two more hours to spare before I leave. So, I took my sweet time in everything. Trying for a casual office type of outfit I wore a black slacks, my top was a one-piece that looks like a white polo with a three-fourths topping it, and not to look like an intimidating giant I wore my flat black Nine West doll shoes. And put all my nicessities [papers, two pens, candy, napkin, and a Christina Dodd book] on my black sling bag. Trying not to look like a student, I biasedly halfed my hair and pulled it back at my nape and put some hair cream on it to avoid frizz when I get to the jeep later on.
I also took out my tongue ring.
Then I was already dressed with another hour to spare. Talk about being excited.
Later Ivy came to fetch Nana, Grace and Anne to play badminton at their subdivision court at Saint Charbel. I came along with them. They dropped me off at St James, where I need to get a jeep going to UP.
Then blasted jeep that I rode on was doing more like a crawl, rather than the usual speed which you need to go to second gear.
Every stop possile or impossible, the driver tries to get riders. And I haven't even trecked the half of Tandang Sora.
Later, I went down at Commonwealth where I took a FX. In ten minutes I found myself walking towards the entrance of Convergys. I was fourty minutes early than my scheduled appointment which is ten-thirty.
I went to the receptionist's table, who may I say doesn't speak good English, and gave my name and my ID. Sat down at the lounge that look more like a classroom to me and took out my book and read. It was a quiet environment.
It was already ten-thirty and my interviewer haven't shown yet.
And the guy behind me started singing at the silence.
Fifteen minutes later our interviewer, Joy, called our names. We went inside a small room where we squeezed ourselves. There were six of us. Girls, except for the guy who was singing at the reception room who was seated at my left.
The interviewer excused herself for a moment and left the room. The moment the door closed the other four girls started talking on how tense and nervous they are. It seems the only people relaxed on the room was me and the guy, who complained that he was cold. I told him that at the least he has his jacket while I don't have one.
After a couple of minute, Joy came back.
She introduced herself and started the interview with Maricel, who stammers a lot. Poor thing. She's really scared.
Then next one to be called was the guy. He's speaking skills are good. He didn't stop and stammer. He spoke in a clear and quick sentences.
Next was the other one who's still studying, Rochelle, twenty three. She keeps on saying ummm and she has a lot of hand gestures especially the one where she puts her hand on her heart as if on a plea.
Next one was the girl beside me who took up four courses. And is still studying. She does a lot of aahhhsss.
By then I was getting bored. The table was made of clear glass. I noticed that the three girls except for me and Maricell where all wearing those killer pointed shoes. The one was wearing a conventional black one, the other one was wearing a black with beads and the last one was a Hindu design with more beads than you can count.
What's with the shoes?
Then the next one called was me. Yeah.
Joy asked what name do I prefered to be called.
Ching.
Why Ching?
So I explained. After my explaination, the other interviewees and Joy chuckled.
"What?", I asked them, chuckling too. "Do I speak very fast?".
At least after that the tension on the air lighten up.
But my interview only lasted for four minutes. The others lasted for eight minutes.
I asked myself if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Then the last one was Keren Hope. She just quit her last job last night which was a call center too in Makati. She resigned, because the guy who was courting her at the office for a long time secretly have a kid.
She just found out this week.
So she slapped his faced and resigned. Good for her.
But for someone who worked for a call center for ten months... the guy can speak way better than her.
Then the interview ended. It was already eleven-thirty. We were ordered to come back by twelve thirty for a test.
So the five of us [excluding Maricel] went down and ate at Rice Box. We had a little get-to-know-each-other. Rochelle keep telling us stories of people we don't know. And her boyfriend, was the bald guy riding on the jeep at the "Coke ko to" Coca-Cola commercial.
The other girl is getting married this Friday.
To another woman.
Which will cost five grand.
Twleve-twenty. We took the elevator and went to the lobby and waited for further instructions. Keren then asked me if I have a boyfriend. It seems to me she's still pretty bummed about that guy at her office. It also seems she's asking if what she did was the right thing. Then, we were ordered to go up on the third floor. There where like twentyfive of us.
Then they they let us choose a booth.
Wow nice computer.
But then they gave us a questionare and an answer sheet.
How outdated.
Then one of the candidate forgot to bring a pen. Sheesh. And I'm the only one with an extra one.
Ha! Grade Two. Girl Scout. St. James of Quezon City.
Then reading over the questionaire I found out it was all technical questions. Is this right? I applied for Customer Care.
But, oh well. Breezing through the exam I put my pen down and munch a couple of Kendis.
Later, the "Examinator" came in and took our sheets away saying she'll be back with the results. So me and my new found friends just sat there and chatted. Were we went back to the topic of Keren and her officemate. Our guy friend is playing Devil's Adovocate were he keeps on telling her that maybe the guy she left is now contemplating death. She said that yeah that may be so.
I just rolled my eyes.
After half an hour Joy came back with some papers that were folded and stapled.
She said that the people she will be calling should get the papers she's holding and proceed to the reception desk. The second one to be called was my guy friend. I was fourth.
I was then thinking if we got laid off. Then after that there were bunch of people coming right behind me. While we were waiting for the elevator, someone from behind me was singing Sandara's "In or out?".
Opening the letter I told her were out.
Ahhh the bitter taste of defeat.
Then Maricel came out too. I said to her that half of our batched were eliminated.
Then the elevator gave it's customary ping.
We all squeezed ourselves into it. Right after the elevator doors closed, the guy on the middle of the lift, opened his letter and sang a woeful My Way by Frank Sinatra.
We all laughed.
I went back to the receptionist and got my ID back. Me and Maricel trecked together to the other side of the highway, drizzle and all.
Then saying our goodbyes, I climbed up the jeep that will take me to Marcos Highway.
What a bummer my shoes are all muddy.
Then I remembered the other three who made it.
I should have worn a pair of pointed shoes too!