Previous Challenge Entry (EDITOR'S CHOICE)
Topic: FERHOODLE (confuse or mix-up)( 03/03/16)
TITLE:
Arranged | Writing Challenge By Wendy Godwin 03/10/16 |
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8th Place
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“Yes, Mr. Mason, sure. Umm, no, that doesn’t sound…I mean, yes, yes I can do that.” Mary Phillips’ face grew hot as she stammered out the words.
“Also, review them for me, Okay? Then you can just leave them on my desk. I’d like to start setting up interviews tomorrow.” Mr. Chad Mason smiled that ever-so-cute, slightly-crooked smile at her.
“Okay, I’ll have them ready by the end of the day.”
Chad Mason was doing well taking over the business his father had left him. He attributed his success to his new found faith in the Lord, and had just started struggling with how best to share this faith with those on his staff. When word had gotten out that he was looking for a new Marketing Assistant, there was no shortage of resumes--some with photos--of well qualified women pining for a chance to work with this handsome, successful bachelor.
Mary sat at her desk and absentmindedly twisted a lock of her long brown hair around her finger, tighter and tighter. <i>It’s just not right. I should have gotten that job. I’ll need to cull through these applicants carefully. It would not do for anyone to be around who might catch Chad’s eye, or worse, his heart. That is a position I am determined to have myself!</i>
As she perused the stack of resumes she had spread across her desk, Mary was surprised to see a familiar name on top. Celeste Hammond had gone to the same high school as Mary. She was a really pretty girl; Mary had always been a little jealous of her. Curiosity led Mary to look over the rest of the application. <i>You’re kidding me.</i>She almost swallowed her chewing gum as she read that Celeste had graduated with honors—from a Bible college. <i>Well, we certainly don’t need a Bible thumper in this office. Especially not a beautiful one.</i>
She continued to read and sort the remaining applications, arranging them in a neat stack before dropping them onto Mr. Mason’s desk. “Celeste Hammond, you will have to go on the very bottom. I can’t take any chances.”
“Goodnight, Sharon.” she called to the elderly night cleaning lady as she made her way out the door.<i> I can’t believe she’s still around as old as she is.</i>
***
Sharon smiled weakly and nodded goodbye to Mary before continuing her tasks. She hated lugging this giant, ancient vacuum from office to office. <i>Mason Industries can certainly afford a new vacuum,</i> she thought. But this monstrosity had been donated by Mr. Chad Mason’s mother. “This old thing still has a lot of life left.” Mrs. Gertrude Mason convinced her son as she dropped the vacuum off and quickly left. Strangely, Mrs. Mason passed away that same night from a heart attack. So Sharon had thought it best not to bring up the subject of the vacuum for a while.
Focusing her thoughts back on her work, she spied a stray pen that had rolled under Mr. Mason’s desk. Vacuum hose in one hand, she attempted to bend over to retrieve the stray pen with her free hand.
<i> Wrrrrrr. Ferump!</i> “What was th…?” Sharon murmured as she shot up. “Ow! My back! Oh… No!” That monster vacuum with its long hose had sucked up the very top piece of paper from a stack on Mr. Mason’s desk and swallowed it down into its dirty belly. As she stretched down to silence the vacuum, the hand with the now non-functioning hose involuntarily slid across the desk and into the rest of the stacked papers.
She watched in horror as papers flip-flopped, flew and scattered everywhere.
What a chore it was to pick them back up! She arranged them back onto the desk as neatly as possible. Angry at the vacuum, she left early to go home and nurse her back. Oh, the mess that machine had caused!
***
The next morning Chad Mason sat at his desk, coffee in hand, and picked up the resume at the top of the stack.
<i>Well, Mary must know me pretty well, this one looks perfect.</i>
With a smile on his face he picked up the phone.
“Hello, yes, this is Chad Mason from Mason Industries, may I please speak with Celeste Hammond?”
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