Say Hello to the Broken-Hearted (16 page)

“Yeah, you are new here?” He pursued, “How long have you been here?”

“Since last night.”
John promptly replied.

“Oh ok,
so I guess you haven’t a clue what it’s like here huh?”

“
Nahh not at all, that’s what I am doing right now, trying to familiarize myself.” The conversation commenced and John was a bit more relaxed.

“Yeah its best you do that, ge
t to know a few people, you are safer that way.”

Suddenly he didn’t seem as dangerous as first thought.

How many cold blooded killers would offer advice such as that? In addition, behind the shades, as much as John could suffice along with the texture of his tone, he was no more than twenty-five years. Maybe the same age as John.

“Yeah that’s what I thought. Thanks for the advice.” John replied.

“No problem…The name is Xavier, people around here call me Ice.”

“John managed a smile and greeted him
with a gripping colloquial handshake, “My name is John, you can call me Sir.” John joked and they laughed.

“So where are you from sir?” Xavier asked.

“I am from Jamaica, born and bred.”

“That’s
cool, where in Jamaica, Kingston?”

“
Nahh, I am a country boy.” The laughter continued. He may in fact be a thug but he didn’t seem like a terrible person overall.

“So where in the neighborhood are you staying?” Xavier asked.

“You know it’s right up this street, over by the Golden Oak Apartment complex. Actually it’s me and my fiancée, she is expecting too.”

“Yeah
! congrats man.” Xavier added and patted his shoulder.

“Yeah, we
are here to make a fresh start, build a whole new life together, if you know what I mean.”

“Hmm-Hmmm I know what you mean.” X
avier replied. Although his facial expression could not be read, there was a distinct sorrow in his voice.

“You have any kids of your own?” John went out and asked.

“Yes sir, I have two myself.” He subtly replied, “Hey, I don’t mean to upset you or anything but… My older son got shot by a stray bullet earlier this year. Straight to his cranium. He died instantly. It happened at the playground of the complex where you are living right now. Little Nick meant the world to me.”

“Oh God, I am sorry to hear that.” John sympathized.

“Yeah, life carries on though,” Xavier added, “But that community is gated for a reason. All I can say is, be careful, we wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened to my son.”

“I appreciate that, duly noted.” John replied and scratche
d his hair. It seems as if he bought a cat in a bag. Now he found himself in a troubled community with his pregnant fiancée. “How could Calvin do such a thing…I don’t believe he would. Maybe it’s not as bad as how he made it out to be.”

“So John what do you plan to do for work around here? As you can see
it’s not much.”

“To be honest I am at a
crossroad as it concerns to that. I was thinking of applying for vacancies in the cooperate city and see where that goes, until then I’ll take any gig that comes along.”

“You know the job market is down,
it’s going to be ruff finding a job but I wish you sincere luck.” Xavier encouraged.

“Yeah, I need all the luck I can get.” John affixed.

“Listen bro, you seem to be a sensible guy, you see me standing here, and there is almost no question as to what I am doing. If you ever need to get in, you can find me right here at this spot, alright?”

“To be honest Xavie
r, I have no intention of going down that road. I have a family to take care of, if you know what I mean.” John refused.

“Hey I am just looking out.”

“I know.” John replied and closed the conversation, “Hey I have to get back to the house, Karla probably needs me. So I’ll see you around.”

“Sure, as I said you know where to find me.”

Who said it would be easy? No one knows what the future holds, life is just a journey. Carry on…

Chapter 23

It
was the fourth day in the third week of September and the situation hasn’t improved. In fact, the two grew desperate each day as the remainder of the savings continued to drain into household expenditures. John had the hardest luck. As nightly prayers on his knees by the bedside, didn’t help in providing him a job.

“Yeah John!
Just drop the theatrical. Move on already. Make love your religion, why don’t you? You believe in it so bad, you place nothing above it. It gave you wings and here you are in another country, far away from the place you used to call home. Jesus! Don’t stop now! Give it all you’ve got. Get back down on your knees and pray to the love you’ve got and hold stead-fast faith that you make it through the storm. There is no other way. Your back is up against the wall, and you know the race is not for the swift but for those who can endure it. Well don’t go under, keep your head above the water, and if love is all you’ve got, just believe that it’s all you need to carry you through.

The fifth day of the third week in September.
Midday.

“Hey John
! Where are you?” Karla called for her fiancé.

“I am on the door
steps hun.” John replied.

“Hey sweetie, there is s
omeone on the phone for you. She acknowledged that she was a representative from the Lime communications company in the Trin-City region.”

“What do they want?” He asked, and she shrugged in response.

“Hello this is John.” He answered.

“Hello there John.
My name is Mrs. Cynthia Crawford, recruiting officer for Lime. You recently applied for the vacancy of customer service manager within our company, is that correct?”

“Yes- yes
, mam.” John replied with careful manners.

“Great! Well I would like for you to come in for
an interview on Monday, at ten Am. Is that suitable for you?”

“Yes m
am, most definitely, I’ll be there.” John replied with a rather joyful tone.

“Ok good, please remember to bring all your personal documents and qualifications. See you
on Monday. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

“Thank
you and I wish the said sentiments to you…” John finished.

A brilliant smile illuminated his face. Instantly Karla realized what had
unfolded and she as well could not hold back the gushes.

“
It’s been a long time coming baby!” Karla assured and hugged him, “I want you to know that I haven’t given up on you John, I haven’t stopped believing in us.”

John hugged her tightly and caresse
d her upper back, “I know baby--I know. If it wasn’t for you I don’t know what I would do…Apparently there is power in love after all.”

The second day of the fourth week in September.

It was ten thirty Am and John had just arrived at the entrance of the Lime cooperate building. There wasn’t time to review his notes, straighten his collar or even wipe the sweat from his face.

“Showing up
late for an interview is never a good sign” He thought.

John approa
ched the woman behind the front desk that paraded in excessive cream colored makeup but forgot to touch up her discolored neck.

“Hello, good morning, I am John
Steelburg. I have a ten o’clock interview here. Can you please assist me?” John politely opened.

“You are late.” The make-up disaster faced woman replied sharply.

“That’s obvious, so what then?” John frankly responded. He was very much determined to give her
the bitter end of his tongue if she persisted with the ugly temperaments.

She raised her eyebrows and folded her arms. She was
ready to show her rotten colors.

“Look I do not have time for this.” John ra
ised his voice and candidly warned her.

“Take a number from the slot
, go down the aisle, turn right, have a seat and wait for them to call you.”

John took a number as instructed
and surprisingly to him it read, twenty-two.

“Excuse me, how many people are here for this job?’ John asked.

“Are you stupid or something?” The ogre feistily replied, “What does the number say, how on earth did you get shortlisted?”

“John stared at her with insurmountable distaste. He swallowed the profanity that was edging his tongue
, but he couldn’t refrain himself from having the last word.

“If I get this job, I am going to be a fixed pain in your ass, literally.” John
full-bloodedly added, “And by the way, lose the lip gloss, it’s not popping.”

John walked the aisle and on arriving in the waiting area he became
quite taken aback that there were so many people waiting to be interviewed.

“Turn around John. Don’t waste your time. They are all Trinidadians, you don’t stand a chance.” The voice in his head discouraged.

“Excuse me sir, what position are you here for?” John asked the baby boomer in tailored jacket suit and tie.

“I am here for the customer service management vacancy…and you?”

“The same.” John replied as he took a seat beside him and swallowed his saliva. The competition was dead heat. “What are the odds?” He wondered as he shook his head. The hopelessness was chronic in his eyes.

“So you have any experience in this area?” The baby boomer opened.

“I did freelance customer service for a few weeks. That’s about it.” John replied.

“I supervised an insurance company customer service department for nine years. I got
laid off when they decided to relocate.”

“Who the hell asked? Let’s keep this on a need to know basis.” John wanted to say, but avoided another
possible altercation, “I am sorry…” He ushered instead.

“
Nahh, that’s ok. I am on to better things.”
          “No really, I am sorry. Now I might not get this job because of you.”

John’s unfriendly disposition was very much unwarranted. Howeve
r, it did an excellent job of distracting the baby boomer to his cell phone for the remainder of the wait.

Two and hal
f hours had passed and they had only reached number fourteen. The frustration grew thick, only patience bared virtue.

After
another thirty minutes, number fourteen came out of the interview quarters with a sour face and watery eyes. She straighten her blouse, pulled her hair back, raised her chin and managed to fake a smile but only an oblivious mug couldn’t tell that she was flatly rejected.

“So much for excessive sparkly
fandangle. It’s a job interview not a contest for store manikin.” John said that out loud, the baby boomer heard, cornered his eyes at him but refrain a comment.

“Number fifteen! Number fifteen you are
next in five minutes.” The interviewer came out an announced. John suddenly recognized the voice. “By the way, a note to all others. Make sure you are professionally attired when you come into my office, that’s all I will say for now.”

John lifted his head from between his legs only to be greeted by his worst karma. The
makeup disaster was the interviewer.

John quickly stood to his feet and approached her in a bid to plea. As he knew well from the earlier precedence he didn’t stand a chance.

“Hi, excuse me,” He remembered his manners this time around, “I don’t mean to be rude, and I know we have gotten off on the wrong foot earlier. For that I am sorry, I sincerely am.”

With raised eyebrows, she pierced at him as she stood with an akimbo.
“Oh really now! What an idiot, you can forget it!” Her body language spoke.

“…But I have a fiancée, she is four months pregnant and home alone as we speak. So I am begging you, could you please see me in early, please…”

“Look, let me be honest with you just to save you some time. You have already failed the interview. That little occurrence earlier at the front desk was a test of your character skills. You demonstrated poorly.”

“
P-L-E-A-S-E, I am begging here.”

“I am sorry, I
cannot help you.” She frankly replied without an ounce of sympathy, “In addition, if I should hire you, I would fire you within a week.” She shook her head at him in due insolence. “Besides, you are barely qualified for this job. All these people you see here have a bachelor’s degree in the respective field and at least two years of experience. I have seen your resume and frankly speaking-It’s not popping.”