The Unexpected Encounter: The Interview

Writing challenge submission

I was invited by

Shareece Williams

to join the

houseofqweenstudios

weekly writing challenge, so here is my take on it! I can’t even remember the last time I wrote fiction, let alone dialogue lol but I definitely had fun challenging myself! If you enjoy this short story please let me know in the comments, I’d love to know your thoughts 💚

Johnny: “Alright, Later man, I’m out, see you later “

Ryan: “Okay good luck again with the interview. I know you’re gonna rock it.”

Johnny: “I appreciate that man. Thank you, I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Johnny, took one last look at himself in the mirror, brushed his hands down his suit, gave himself a smile then headed out the door of Ryan’s one bedroom apartment.  Johnny had fallen onto hard financial times last year after getting laid off from his job. The lease to his apartment was also up a few months ago but since the rent increased $300 a month anyway, he didn’t renew it. Instead, he put his pride aside and asked to crash with Ryan on his living room couch for a couple months until he found another place.

With nerves vibrating through his veins but hope pumping in his heart, Johnny headed to the subway station to start his journey to his interview. He made it 5 blocks from the apartment before passing by his new favorite coffee shop. Not much of a coffee fan, ironically, he walked in, but ordered a green tea with lemon, brown sugar, and a splash of blue agave. 

Barista: “Order for Johnny!” the barista shouted across the cafe. 

Johnny, excited for the warm energizing tea to join him on his journey, grabbed it and headed out the door. 

“Ow!” yelped an attractive well dressed woman at the corner of the block. She had just been bumped by a jogger who turned the corner and landed right into her. She dropped her purse causing its insides to sprawl out onto the sidewalk. The jogger stopped to help her scoop up her things so Johnny continued on his way. 

While waiting for the train, Johnny pulled out his phone to review his interview questions as the buzz of people on the platform joined together while simultaneously being in their own world. 

“Stand clear of the closing doors please” was heard over the train speakers, as Johnny found his place on the train, standing at the pole. 

To his surprise, the beautiful woman he saw at the corner stood right across from him at the pole too. 

Knowing he only had 2 stops to go, he decided although she was beautiful he needed to focus on getting to his interview. 

“Stand clear of the closing doors please” 

The train packed with passengers arrived at the next stop rather abruptly. Squeezed in like sardines in a can, Johnny found himself holding the pretty woman as she lost her balance and just like out of a movie scene, landed in his arms. 

Attractive Woman: “Omg I’m so sorry. I can’t seem to ever get used to these trains,” she said through an embarrassed laugh.

Johnny: “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad I was here to catch you”

And just as quickly as he caught her, she walked off the train and disappeared into the sea of passengers leaving too. He found himself smiling at the thought of what could have been.

“Stand clear of the closing doors please” 

Now arriving at his stop, Johnny glided off the subway and reached for his phone to pull up his directions, only to realize his phone was no longer in his pocket. 

Not his pants pocket. Not his suit jacket pocket. It was nowhere to be found. 

He knew he didn’t leave it at the café because he looked at it on the subway platform. 

“Did he drop it on the platform?”, he thought.

Time was ticking and he had no idea how to get where he was going. Trying not to panic, he left the subway and headed to the Starbucks at the corner to ask for directions.  As he waited he thought about the beautiful woman from earlier again, but not in the way he last thought of her. 

Johnny: “Was that damsel in distress really a damn thief?!” he mumbled under his breath. 

Directions in hand, he hurried to the interview, and made it there right on time. Despite his frustrations he killed the interview and proudly left the interviewers office to head to the police station to report the potential theft of his phone. 

But to his surprise as he was walking out of the building, passing by the row of interviewees waiting their turn, there she was. The attractive woman was seated, looking completely innocent, waiting her turn to interview too!

She hadn’t noticed Johnny yet, so he quickly turned the corner to contemplate what he should do. 

He thought he could confront her in front of everyone. Or he could go back into the office and snitch to the interviewer. Or he could call the cops right then and there.

But he ultimately decided not to act on any of these options. 

Instead, he walked up to her and when she looked up at him, her face turned ghost white. Johnny asked her to chat and she obliged. He told her he knows what she did but won’t call the authorities if she gives him back his phone and tells him why she stole it. 

Embarrassed, she handed him his phone. With his arms folded, impatiently waiting for her to tell her story, he stood there and listened. 

Dana: “I know we got off to a bad start but my name is Dana. I was laid off from my job a year ago and since I couldn’t afford decent housing in the city, I moved into a shelter with my 3 year old. His father won’t take care of him or help with child support so we’ve really been struggling. Sometimes, just so we can have something to eat, I pickpocket well-groomed, rich looking suits, because I figure they can easily replace what I take. I know it’s not right but I’m desperate at this point. I’m so sorry I did this to you today. Truly. And I hope you can understand and forgive me.”

And forgive her, he did.

#WritersWinWednesdays #TheWritersRealm

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

XO,

Kelley Green Johnson