North & West

Seven

West was officially the number one worst person to go job hunting with.

After I'd scavenged around my room and found nothing more than the five dollars and the handful of change from before, I'd decided that I needed to get some way of getting an income, steady or not. I sure as hell wasn't going to continue asking my mother for money when she'd only accuse me of spending all that she gave me on alcohol and cigarettes – she hadn't quite caught me smoking one yet, but she'd found a crumpled up pack beneath some of the dirty laundry in my bedroom.

Granted, I spent a large portion of the money she did give me on those two things, but I had other needs. My favorite pair of jeans was starting to feel a little worn around the waist and I always needed to keep the snacks beneath my bed for special occasions stocked up.

So I'd enlisted West to help me on my hunt - my job hunt.

He'd agreed quicker than I thought, telling me that he could use some money, too. But walking down Main Street with him beside me, tossing a pen he'd stolen from one of the hiring offices we'd stopped by, I started to regret that decision.

When he dropped the pen, kicking it a bit with his boot and causing me to stumble a bit when it got caught beneath my shoe, I stopped to glare at him. “You know, you make me want to take up drinking.”

His lips curved a bit and with a voice completely devoid of malice, he asked, “Haven't you already?"

I had to admit that he had me there. 

We crossed the street to where an ice cream shop and a cinema were beside each other, both surprisingly displaying “help wanted” signs on their large glass windows. West and I stood outside in front of them, looking between each other and the buildings as if deciding who would apply for which.

Just as I caught West make a move from the corner of my eye, towards the cinema, I shoved him a little with my hip and since it was so unexpected, he stumbled a bit. His little misstep gave me a chance, so I gave him a little smile before taking my chance and heading into the movie theater.

As soon as I stepped in, I was immediately hit with one of the cool waves that the industrial size air conditioner gave off. I took in the roughly painted walls, a bit of the paint chipping towards the ceiling. Along some of the far walls were a series of small hand prints, from what I assumed to be the original owner's children, and most likely grandchildren, too.

The inside was appealing to the eye in the sort of way one would like a small, old town business, but after a quick glance in the hallway that led to the separate theaters, I realized that it wasn't just old. It had a history. Even in the dark of the unlit room, I could see paintings lining those walls, too, and I realized that I wanted to work in the building.

After wandering around a bit more without running into anyone, I finally circled back to the front desk where tickets were bought and where the food counters and popcorn were held.

A woman with thick framed glasses and choppy brown bangs looked up from a paper and calculator she'd been hovered over. I took a wild guess and asked, “Are you the owner?”

She nodded, sliding her glasses off of her face and shutting her eyes for a moment as if to clear them,  and then she knotted her fingers together and leaned forward with a friendly smile. “What can I do for you? I didn't even hear you come in and I'm sorry that I haven't gotten around to putting up the movie times outside on the board, but the next movie isn't until 7 tonight.”

I shook my head. “No, I'm here about the job opening, if it's still here, that is.”

She slid her glasses back on and ruffled around in the papers she had in front of her before handing me a job application. “How old are you?”