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From 'Taming Roland' Feel free to leave a critique!
Thus it began unbeknownst to me and as simple as that. The appointment had been on my calendar for weeks and it simply slipped my mind. April twenty-forth rolled around without fanfare. I forgot the conversation with Kristen, and the impending interview with Roland Harris. That afternoon, however, I met his acquaintance and he changed my life completely. I wasn’t expecting it, and he took me completely by surprise, but isn’t that how love happens?
I was crazy that day. I was interviewing several sub-par candidates for a job on my team, an Associate Manager position. Finally, the last candidate sparked my interest. Jenny was perfect; perfect in the sense that she didn’t expect me or the job to catapult her career. She understood that she had to do that herself, and she was going to be happy with just having the job. Jenny would move back home to Chicago from Boston and she couldn’t wait to get back. She found that she didn’t care too much for the Eastern attitude that prevailed in Boston, or the accent. She said it made her stand out, and she felt rejected by the people of Boston. She was perfect; she was insecure, desperate and I would get her at a steal and well below what she was really worth.
I was so excited to find someone, I’d forgotten the details about my next meeting. As I escorted my new find to her next interview, I passed Roland in the hallway. He was on his way to meet with me, but I didn’t know it. I saw him out of the corner of my eye without really focusing on him. To put it simply: I was aware of him. He smiled an easy smile, revealing deep, beautiful dimples that were the only flaw in his beautiful brown skin. I ignored them—and him, but not before he made an indelible impression on me. I noticed that he paused when he saw me. He turned toward me and almost stopped. I’m not sure why he paused and I never asked, but we both kept walking and I averted my attention and engaged my interviewee in conversation, not daring to steal even an indirect glance. I wasn't sure what I might do.
Fear.
Although I didn’t look at him directly, I was still able to process his presence and everything about him. It was as if he’d slapped me awake and my entire body came to attention. He consumed my thoughts on the walk back to my office. I knew I had only moments before my next meeting, so I pushed thoughts of ‘him’ aside and rushed back to my office. I slowed as I neared, slightly unnerved by who I saw waiting for me.
There he stood, very un-cliché like: Not too tall, or dark but achingly handsome—custom made to my specifications. He couldn’t have been any more perfect then if I’d placed the order myself. Now it was my turn to pause, looking at him directly for the first time. My stomach dropped and I stopped right in my tracks and regarded him a moment—surely I’d made his acquaintance before, but I couldn’t understand why he was standing outside my office.
“You must be Marla,” he said, his voice deeper than it was normally I later found out.
“I am.” I projected a calmer persona than I actually felt. And then it hit me; the meeting with the new project manager. I made a feeble attempt to suppress my surprise. “Oh, you must be Roland Harris.” I automatically extended my hand and he received it, hesitating only a moment, as if afraid to touch me. His skin was smooth, soft and slightly cool. It warmed quickly in my hand. His smile was easy, practiced. I invited him in. It was my job.
Thus it began unbeknownst to me and as simple as that. The appointment had been on my calendar for weeks and it simply slipped my mind. April twenty-forth rolled around without fanfare. I forgot the conversation with Kristen, and the impending interview with Roland Harris. That afternoon, however, I met his acquaintance and he changed my life completely. I wasn’t expecting it, and he took me completely by surprise, but isn’t that how love happens?
I was crazy that day. I was interviewing several sub-par candidates for a job on my team, an Associate Manager position. Finally, the last candidate sparked my interest. Jenny was perfect; perfect in the sense that she didn’t expect me or the job to catapult her career. She understood that she had to do that herself, and she was going to be happy with just having the job. Jenny would move back home to Chicago from Boston and she couldn’t wait to get back. She found that she didn’t care too much for the Eastern attitude that prevailed in Boston, or the accent. She said it made her stand out, and she felt rejected by the people of Boston. She was perfect; she was insecure, desperate and I would get her at a steal and well below what she was really worth.
I was so excited to find someone, I’d forgotten the details about my next meeting. As I escorted my new find to her next interview, I passed Roland in the hallway. He was on his way to meet with me, but I didn’t know it. I saw him out of the corner of my eye without really focusing on him. To put it simply: I was aware of him. He smiled an easy smile, revealing deep, beautiful dimples that were the only flaw in his beautiful brown skin. I ignored them—and him, but not before he made an indelible impression on me. I noticed that he paused when he saw me. He turned toward me and almost stopped. I’m not sure why he paused and I never asked, but we both kept walking and I averted my attention and engaged my interviewee in conversation, not daring to steal even an indirect glance. I wasn't sure what I might do.
Fear.
Although I didn’t look at him directly, I was still able to process his presence and everything about him. It was as if he’d slapped me awake and my entire body came to attention. He consumed my thoughts on the walk back to my office. I knew I had only moments before my next meeting, so I pushed thoughts of ‘him’ aside and rushed back to my office. I slowed as I neared, slightly unnerved by who I saw waiting for me.
There he stood, very un-cliché like: Not too tall, or dark but achingly handsome—custom made to my specifications. He couldn’t have been any more perfect then if I’d placed the order myself. Now it was my turn to pause, looking at him directly for the first time. My stomach dropped and I stopped right in my tracks and regarded him a moment—surely I’d made his acquaintance before, but I couldn’t understand why he was standing outside my office.
“You must be Marla,” he said, his voice deeper than it was normally I later found out.
“I am.” I projected a calmer persona than I actually felt. And then it hit me; the meeting with the new project manager. I made a feeble attempt to suppress my surprise. “Oh, you must be Roland Harris.” I automatically extended my hand and he received it, hesitating only a moment, as if afraid to touch me. His skin was smooth, soft and slightly cool. It warmed quickly in my hand. His smile was easy, practiced. I invited him in. It was my job.
posted by Andrea | 12:50 PM
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