The Journalist: The Lead [TJOURN 0]

TJOURN: The Lead (TJOURN #0)

Agreeing upon where the interview would take place was almost as taxing, so your boss claimed, as getting the elusive Tom Hiddleston to agree to the interview in the first place. Lord knows how many hoops your boss had needed to jump through for an agreement to be reached, but something – ultimately – had been said to secure the interview.

For reasons you couldn’t fathom the task had fallen to you. It certainly wasn’t that you had tenure. There were others that had been on staff far longer. During the negotiation stage you’d spotted your boss at his desk with a list of staff members, a page full of surnames with lines, scribbles, or huge black marks taking them out of the running. A merit based reward recognizing your abilities? Unlikely, merely for the fact that (a) your boss didn’t work that way, and (b) your working relationship with him was limited to a mediocre understanding of one another at best. Even considering the few years you’d worked for him - if it wasn’t on your resume, he wasn’t aware of it. End of.

That leaves the simple fact that it had probably been at the request of the Hiddleston camp, the notion of which leaves you vaguely unsettled. Just what had been passed back and forth about the staff members to help in the decision? Photo, resume, dossier – life story? What wasn’t available on the internet these days?

To combat your sense of unease you arrive early to the restaurant, thankful that a private room had been both available, and reserved. There’s hardly a soul inside right now, your arrival happening between the breakfast and lunch rush, and this interview taking place on a weekday besides. That doesn’t mean the place won’t soon be full of patrons.

After a quick word with the manager to express your thanks you set about the task of prepping the room. You turn the small table near the window so that the sun won’t be a problem during the interview, and adjust the chairs just so to be able to provide a buffer to guard against what your sources call The Hiddleston Charm.

He arrives almost exactly on time, just a minute or two before the scheduled meeting time for the interview. In your experience with his ilk that translates to early, but you’ll not be giving him a good boy pat on the head for it. On time is on time, and common damned courtesy.

The only reason you spot his arrival, the reason you’re not hidden away and scouring your notes for last minute talking points that might jump out at you, is that you’ve forgotten to snag the water bottles. The bottles of water thankfully carried by the restaurant had been a suggestion from the Hiddleston camp relayed to you by your boss, and one that he’d practically demanded you comply with.

So much for being seated and expectant when he enters the room and the air of professionalism that would have gone with it.

The heavy glass bottles threaten to slip from your grasp and you have to switch from holding the both of them by their caps to gripping one by the neck of the bottle. He’s stopped to turn about and hold the door for someone, then glances at his watch as he follows them inside. His little act of kindness has officially made him late.

Tom looks up for a quick survey of the small lobby of the restaurant as he starts to walk with purpose. Of course he knows exactly where he’s headed, the location was another of the requests by his camp. Familiar ground – perhaps a favorite dining location when he is in town? Then his gaze settles upon you, instantly registering recognition. The neutral smile you offer is met by a nod and friendly wave that feels close to an old acquaintance renewed.

You readjust your Actor Armor as he approaches, readying yourself for what comes next. Introductions. From here on you’ll just have to rely on your ability to keep the man on task as you have with other actors you’ve interviewed. It’s that or bore him to death with standard questions, which you’d rather not do. Your boss would murder you if you went that route. A wasted opportunity after all he went through? You’ll wait to see if you need to commit career suicide, using that as a last resort if you can’t find a way to burrow into the mystique surrounding Tom and get a few fun details for his fans and the readers of the magazine.