Dreaming Big
  • Home
    • Staff
    • Members Only
  • Contact
  • Our Books
    • Non Fiction
    • Fiction
    • Poetry
    • Children's Books
    • Audio Books
  • Coming Soon
  • Blog
  • Opportunities
    • Call For Submissions
    • Submissions Guidelines
    • FAQ
  • Gifts and More

'An Urban Tale: First Job Interview' by Donal Mahoney

1/29/2016

0 Comments

 
An Urban Tale: First Job Interview


Let’s check the terminal and see 
what jobs might be available 
to match your skill set,
the interviewer said. 
The young man
sitting next to the desk
was wearing a plaid shirt 
and his first tie. 


I know you'll take any job 
but let’s see what we can find.
A young man like you, Deon,
just starting out, has his 
entire life ahead of him.


Here’s the personal stuff
you gave me so let’s go over it
and you tell me if I have 
everything right.

Your father left your mother
when you were two and then 
your mother died when 
you were four and your granny 
took you and your brothers in.
But she died in an auto accident 
when you were ten.


An uncle took you after that
and he had trouble finding work.
Food was scarce and you
kept moving place to place.
He tried hard, you said.


An aunt in another city
took your little sister and 
she sounds fine on the phone
when you get a chance to talk.
Your brothers went to foster homes
and you see them now and then.
Things aren't going too well for them.


You graduated from grammar school,
then dropped out of high school 
and went back to get your GED. 
You’re 18 now and have never
worked anywhere before.
You have no car, no driver’s license,
and no record with the police. 

You live deep in the city but 
are willing to work in the suburbs.
Transportation’s not a problem
because your church has 
bus passes for anyone who 
needs them to get to work.
Let’s hope that’s you, Deon.


Bus passes are important because
most jobs you qualify for are 
out in the suburbs, a long trip, 
but our city buses do go there.
From your address I’d say
it will take an hour or more
each way, maybe a little longer
in winter weather with 
the snow plows and all.


Now here's a restaurant chain
with seven outlets in the suburbs
looking for young workers
with a GED and no experience
to wash dishes and bus tables. 


It’s minimum wage but no benefits 
and you'd start on the third shift, 
apply for the second shift when 
an opening occurs, and then apply 
for the first shift after you’ve 
been there at least a year.

Then you'd wait for an opening
on the salad bar and after a year
with the veggies you’d want to 
look for an opening on the grill 
but that’s third shift again.


I’d be happy to set up an interview
but that’s all I have at the moment.
You want me to call now, Deon?
Or do you want to sleep on it.
This is America. It’s your choice.


Donal Mahoney


————————————————————————--
Donal Mahoney, a native of Chicago, lives in St. Louis, Missouri. His fiction and poetry have appeared in various publications, including The Wisconsin Review, The Kansas Quarterly, The South Carolina Review, The Christian Science Monitor, The Chicago Tribune and  Commonweal.  Some of his work can be found at http://eyeonlifemag.com/the-poetry-locksmith/donal-mahoney-poet.html#sthash.OSYzpgmQ.dpbs=
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Challenge Participant
    Parajunkee Design
    I review for BookLook Bloggers
    Professional Reader
    Book Reviewer Sign Up

    1888PressRelease
    YA Bound Book Tours

Services

Ask A Therapist
Blog
Our Books
Coming Soon

Company

About Us
Staff
​

Support

Contact
FAQ

Find and follow us on social media 
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.