Getting to know you over lunch

The pair of women walked down the sidewalk through the Friday crowds. Lauren wasn’t paying much attention as Tiffany talked. Instead, she was lost in thought about if she was going to get this job, she had just found out the hard way that she was not qualified. The field wasn’t exactly what she planned to be working in. Before this trip, she was waiting tables after putting her college education on hold and now here she was interviewing for a job she couldn’t do, wasn’t sure she wanted, and was depressed she wasn’t going to get it. And if she did get it, her work uniform shifting from tight shorts and tank top to wearing a dress and heels every day. She did not have the clothes for that and would have to borrow from Jodie. That part she didn’t mind, the idea of raiding her future sister-in-law's closet was fun.

“Here we are, one of the best places for lunch. I called ahead, so we shouldn’t have to wait more than ten minutes.” Tiffany said, opening the door to a restaurant named White Wolf Cafe. Walking up the podium Tiffany started to talk with the hostess as she was an old friend causing Lauren to wonder if Tiffany had friends everywhere as the woman took them right back to a table when there was a line of people already waiting.

After getting the lunch menus Tiffany put her’s down right away already knowing what she was getting. “The Moroccan salad here is to die for. Chopped up chicken, bananas, raisins, almonds, romaine with some honey curry dressing. Mmm, it is so good. But.. “ she held the word and trailed off till she saw Lauren look up from her menu. “If you feel like this being a cheat meal to help perk you up, you could go with anything really like one of their burgers. I haven’t like tried one of them, but I’m told they are great here. What I get when I feel like a treat is the BBQ chicken flatbread. It has this apple, onion sauce they make here, with soft onions, chicken, and like two types of cheese. If I could eat that every day and not get fat, I so would.” Tiffany watched as Lauren tucked some of her mousy brown hair behind her eat and bit her lip before glancing back down to the menu. “Umm,” Lauren said before letting out a long sight and pinching the bridge of her nose just briefly. The girl was a sponge for picking up others' physical habits. “I’m not sure… that does sound good though and I’m not on a diet.” Lauren thought about how the dress she was wearing and how Jodie always wore a corset to work on her figure. “Okay, how about we share the flatbread and each get a side salad. That way we are only cheating a little?” Tiffany’s smile beamed. “I would like love to share that with you, oh my gosh when you get the job we can totally do this together that way I won't have to feel so bad for eating so many carbs!”

Putting her menu down on top of Tiffany’s, Lauren shook her head, causing a few strands of her hair to come free of the tuck. “Tiff, I did not get the job. This is a field where you have to already have knowledge and experience. It isn't like a secretarial job that isn’t important and all you have to do is answer the phone, get the coffee order right and look pretty.” As she said the last part Lauren already hated herself for saying it out loud and braced herself for the pretty girl in the cream blazer and blue dress to snap back at her or storm off. Tiffany gave Lauren a small smile and a slight nod, she was used to people thinking things like that. “We are just starting to become friends, and yes I already do think of you that way. So let me tell you a little something about myself and my job. Most people see how I act and the way I look and think this girl was a popular cheerleader in school. The truth is in school I was skinny as a rail and as flat as a board, not the look for a popular girl and I made it through school with mostly C and D for grades. My daddy was a smart man, a professor, and never once did he disparage because his daughter wasn’t as smart as him. He always told me God made all of us the way we are for a reason. We can work on becoming a better person, but should never find fault in how we start unless we are not willing to be better through hard work. He helped me study, it didn’t help much, but he loved me anyways.” she paused and smiled thinking back to her father holding and hugging her. “When I told him I wouldn’t be going to college, I dreaded that talk for weeks before I spoke to him. I just didn’t want to see him disappointed in me, but you know what happened when I worked up the courage? He told me the path I choose in life is my own and he is proud of me. I just up and cried in his arms, I built it up that he would be mad or think less of me for not being smart enough to make it through college. He told me how it didn’t matter to him if I didn’t inherit his brain, he said I surpassed him and my mom with my heart and he couldn’t be more proud of the woman I had become. So Lauren I know what God gave me and after working on myself and with the help of a doctor I know I know people like me and Jodie won't ever be as smart as someone like yourself. I like who I am and I will have you know people like me and Jodie are proud of what we do for MegaCorp.”

Lauren tried to interject to apologize, but Tiffany held up her hand. “Please let me finish, I think this is important. Like, I think a lot of people don’t think much of the admin pool, or PA, or even me at reception. The truth is we play an important part for a company, not everyone can be the one making million-dollar deals, doing finances, or fixing computers. What people like Jodie and myself do is clear the way for others so they can do their job without being pulled down by all the tiny tasks that build up. We answer the phone and take messages that anyone can do sure, but some days the phone just won't stop ringing. I”m juggling three, for or more calls all at once. Imagine an executive trying to work on closing a deal worth millions of dollars being interrupted by his phone all day. What we do is make it so the stars get a chance to shine, without us everyone else slows do. So I can say for sure, just because people like Jodie and I aren’t smart like you doesn’t mean we aren’t important. Also… I’m a little jealous that you get to be smart, beautiful and so darn nice.”

The story about her dad was making Lauren tear up and hearing how Tiffany views her job, and what it does blew Lauren away, she never thought of it like that. Standing up she held her arms forward and out. “Come here.” She didn’t need to ask twice, Tiffany stood up and the two hugged right there next to their table. Soon as they sat down Tiffany smiled back at her friend. “Oh, and like of course they pick the pretty girls to do these jobs, who doesn’t want to look at a pretty girl. I know you get that, I bet the more you flirt with customers when you worked at your old job the better tips you got.” Lauren had to agree and accepted she lost this battle.

While they were enjoying the meal Tiffany looked over at her friend who didn’t look too happy. “Is something wrong, do you not like it?” Holding up a piece of the flatbread bbq chicken pizza Lauren gave a half-smile. “The food is terrific, I just. I dunno, feel like I could have done better. I wanted to prove I could do the job and even though this isn’t what I expected to happen, I really wanted it.” Nodding in acknowledgment Tiffany pulled out her phone and texted someone real fast. “Okay, I know, like, exactly what you need girl. I have confidence you will get the job, but I think that is exactly what you need right now, a nice boost to your confidence. We are going to finish up here and head over to my salon. They will make you feel like a new confident woman in no time. I will have one of the girls from the pool take over reception for the day and the two of us are going to work on you.”

“While I would love that, I couldn’t ask you to miss work for me, and while I can’t afford to salon right now, there is no way we could get in on a Friday afternoon even if I could,” Tiffany replied after finishing off the last bite of her meal. “Lauren, something you are going to learn as my friend. I get things done. If a supervisor or executive says they are free this afternoon for a massage or haircut, you make it happen. If I can do it for them, I can do it for us. I do have a talent at remembering people’s names and when you remember who someone is and be extra generous when tipping them for your boss, they tend to remember you too. Just let me make a few calls!”

A few hours later the two exited the salon looking different than before. Tiffany’s hair now matched her work badge once more as she went back to being a blonde. While Lauren’s long light brown hair not only had highlights in it but it was cut into a shoulder-length layered bob style. “Tiff I cannot thank you enough, getting us in on such short notice and I swear I will pay you back!” Tiffany gave Lauren a quick hug and looked her friend up and down in an outfit Jodie dressed her in and now with the new hairstyle. “Consider it a welcome to town gift, and if you insist on paying me back. How about instead of giving me money, you just make sure I get to see you in a nice dress and heels after work hours. Like I said earlier, you look fantastic and I’m sure that new man you mentioned would love to see you like this too.” The now blonde girl gave a wink to Lauren at the end. “I’m more comfortable in my shorts and lower heels, my feet are more than sore after half a day in Jodie’s four-inch pumps. I would have chosen something shorter, but this is as low as they go for her.” Tiffany only laughed at the comment. “You get used to them, but you might have to walk around the office more than Jodie when you get the job, maybe invest in some three-inch heels, they won't be as sexy but will be easier to handled.” Rolling her eyes at the idea of running around the skyscraper building fixing computers in heels, the job was about knowledge and fixing computers not about looking good. She didn’t rebut her, there was no point in arguing with Tiffany when it came to fashion and she did just get her a wonderful hairstyle. The change was nice, something she felt was needed with this fresh start in the big city.

“Thank you for today Tiff, I’m happy to have earned your friendship, oh and I need to thank Janet too for letting me know about the job. I still don’t think I will get it, but working in a big company like this where I can make good money and not worry about taking time off, a problem Eric has all too often. I think that would be good for me.” Lauren walked Tiffany back to MegaCorp and said goodbye before getting in a Uber. As she sat down she looked down at her phone of a picture of her brother, mom, and herself and smiled. It would be a big change to live in the big city, and was just happy she had such a close family and wonderful brother to have let her live with him. As the car drove in silence Lauren made a decision to invite her mom out here once she got settled. She knew her mom would appreciate seeing her little girl and her son who was horrible at staying in contact. The second thing she was even more determined in now was helping her brother work up the courage to ask Jodie to be Misses Jordan Morrison.