Community College.
The day after Julia finished the course, she visited an employment agency. There were a dozen applicants waiting to see the employment counselor. Sitting next to Julia was an attractive woman her age.
“Hi! I’m Sally Connors.”
“Julia Stanford.”
“I’ve got to get a job today.” Sally moaned. “I’ve been kicked out of my apartment.”
Julia heard her name called.
“Good luck!” Sally said.
“Thanks.”
Julia walked into the office of the employment counselor.
“Sit down, please.”
“Thank you.”
“I see from your application that you have a college education and summer work experience. And you have a high recommendation from the secretarial school.” She looked at the dossier on her desk. “You take shorthand at ninety words per minute, and type at sixty words per minute?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I might have just the thing for you. There’s a small firm of architects that’s looking for a secretary. The salary isn’t very large, I’m afraid…”
“That’s okay,” Julia said quickly.
“Very well. I’m going to send you over there.” She handed Julia a slip of paper with a typed name and address on it. “They’ll interview you at noon tomorrow.”
Julia smiled happily. “Thank you.” She was filled with a sense of excitement.
When Julia came out of the office, Sally’s name was being called.
“I hope you get something,” Julia said.
“Thanks!”
On an impulse, Julia decided to stay and wait. Ten minutes later, when Sally came out of the inner office, she was grinning.
“I got an interview! She telephoned, and I’m going to the American Mutual Insurance Company tomorrow for a receptionist job. How did you do?”
“I’ll know tomorrow, too.”
“I’m sure we’ll make it. Why don’t we have lunch together and celebrate?”
“Fine.”
At lunch they talked, and their friendship clicked instantly.
“I looked at an apartment in Overland Park,” Sally said. “It’s a two-bedroom and bath, with a kitchen and living room. It’s really nice. I can’t afford it alone, but if the two of us…”
Julia smiled. “I’d like that.” She crossed her fingers. “If I get the job.”
“You’ll get it!” Sally assured her.
On the way to the offices of Peters, Eastman & Tolkin, Julia thought, This could be my big opportunity. This could lead anywhere. I mean, this isn’t just a job. I’ll be working for architects. Dreamers who build and shape the city’s skyline, who create beauty and magic out of stone and steel and glass. Maybe I’ll study architecture myself, so that I can help them and be a part of that dream .
The office was in a dingy old commercial building on Amour Boulevard. Julia took the elevator to the third floor, got off, and stopped at a scarred door marked PETERS, EASTMAN & TOLKIN, ARCHITECTS. She took a deep breath to calm herself and entered.
Three men were waiting for her in the reception room, examining her as she walked in the door.
“You’re here for the secretarial job?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m Al Peters.” The bald one.
“Bob Eastman.” The ponytail.
“Max Tolkin.” The potbelly.
They all appeared to be somewhere in their forties.
“We understand this is your first secretarial job,” Al Peters said.
“Yes, it is,” Julia replied. Then quickly she added, “But I’m a fast learner. I’ll work very hard.” She decided not to mention her idea about going to school to study architecture yet. She would wait until they got to know her better.
“All right, we’ll try you out,” Bob Eastman said, “and see how it goes.”
Julia felt a sense of exhilaration. “Oh, thank you! You won’t be—”
“About the salary,” Max Tolkin said. “I’m afraid we can’t pay very much at the beginning…”
“That’s all right,” Julia said. “I…”
“Three hundred a week,” Al Peters told her.
They were right. It was not much money. Julia made a quick decision. “I’ll take
The day after Julia finished the course, she visited an employment agency. There were a dozen applicants waiting to see the employment counselor. Sitting next to Julia was an attractive woman her age.
“Hi! I’m Sally Connors.”
“Julia Stanford.”
“I’ve got to get a job today.” Sally moaned. “I’ve been kicked out of my apartment.”
Julia heard her name called.
“Good luck!” Sally said.
“Thanks.”
Julia walked into the office of the employment counselor.
“Sit down, please.”
“Thank you.”
“I see from your application that you have a college education and summer work experience. And you have a high recommendation from the secretarial school.” She looked at the dossier on her desk. “You take shorthand at ninety words per minute, and type at sixty words per minute?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I might have just the thing for you. There’s a small firm of architects that’s looking for a secretary. The salary isn’t very large, I’m afraid…”
“That’s okay,” Julia said quickly.
“Very well. I’m going to send you over there.” She handed Julia a slip of paper with a typed name and address on it. “They’ll interview you at noon tomorrow.”
Julia smiled happily. “Thank you.” She was filled with a sense of excitement.
When Julia came out of the office, Sally’s name was being called.
“I hope you get something,” Julia said.
“Thanks!”
On an impulse, Julia decided to stay and wait. Ten minutes later, when Sally came out of the inner office, she was grinning.
“I got an interview! She telephoned, and I’m going to the American Mutual Insurance Company tomorrow for a receptionist job. How did you do?”
“I’ll know tomorrow, too.”
“I’m sure we’ll make it. Why don’t we have lunch together and celebrate?”
“Fine.”
At lunch they talked, and their friendship clicked instantly.
“I looked at an apartment in Overland Park,” Sally said. “It’s a two-bedroom and bath, with a kitchen and living room. It’s really nice. I can’t afford it alone, but if the two of us…”
Julia smiled. “I’d like that.” She crossed her fingers. “If I get the job.”
“You’ll get it!” Sally assured her.
On the way to the offices of Peters, Eastman & Tolkin, Julia thought, This could be my big opportunity. This could lead anywhere. I mean, this isn’t just a job. I’ll be working for architects. Dreamers who build and shape the city’s skyline, who create beauty and magic out of stone and steel and glass. Maybe I’ll study architecture myself, so that I can help them and be a part of that dream .
The office was in a dingy old commercial building on Amour Boulevard. Julia took the elevator to the third floor, got off, and stopped at a scarred door marked PETERS, EASTMAN & TOLKIN, ARCHITECTS. She took a deep breath to calm herself and entered.
Three men were waiting for her in the reception room, examining her as she walked in the door.
“You’re here for the secretarial job?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m Al Peters.” The bald one.
“Bob Eastman.” The ponytail.
“Max Tolkin.” The potbelly.
They all appeared to be somewhere in their forties.
“We understand this is your first secretarial job,” Al Peters said.
“Yes, it is,” Julia replied. Then quickly she added, “But I’m a fast learner. I’ll work very hard.” She decided not to mention her idea about going to school to study architecture yet. She would wait until they got to know her better.
“All right, we’ll try you out,” Bob Eastman said, “and see how it goes.”
Julia felt a sense of exhilaration. “Oh, thank you! You won’t be—”
“About the salary,” Max Tolkin said. “I’m afraid we can’t pay very much at the beginning…”
“That’s all right,” Julia said. “I…”
“Three hundred a week,” Al Peters told her.
They were right. It was not much money. Julia made a quick decision. “I’ll take
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