Inhale, Exhale - By Sarah M. Ross Page 0,3
to speak to using the computer directory. If they’re available, transfer the call. If they’re out, transfer to voicemail and message the rep. The sales department is the largest department with over two hundred and fifty people, so it might seem overwhelming at first, but I’m sure you’ll pick it up in no time.”
My stomach tightened as I watched the array of lights twinkle. Unlike most tech-savvy kids my age, I was terrible with electronics. I’d graduated in the top ten percent of my high school, but was a complete moron when it came to computers, let alone fancy, hi-tech phones with blinking, angry lights that cautioned what I’d find on the other end. I’d accidentally broken three of my mom’s laptops somehow, and the Geek Squad cringed when they saw me walk into the store. I still didn’t have a smart phone because I was afraid I’d break it. I couldn’t even hook up my DVR correctly without getting Christian to fix it.
What If I can’t handle all the calls? Or I screw up? My mom called in a favor to get me this job; I can’t let her down or embarrass her by failing. In a small town like this, everyone would know how badly I’d failed before she could even make it home. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and squared my shoulders, putting on a fake bright smile.
“It shouldn’t be a problem at all. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
I hoped speaking the words out loud would help instill some confidence, but I felt like a fraud.
“Well, if you need anything, call me. My extension’s in the directory. I’ll send Temperance right over to give you a quick demonstration, and someone from IT should be by to set you up with a username and password.”
I wasn’t given a chance to respond before someone called Connie over the intercom, and she left, heels clicking merrily away. I sat alone in the cubicle for a few minutes, trying to read the tiny buttons on the phone without much success when someone tapped me on the shoulder.
“You must be Jillian,” a cheerful woman greeted.
Why is everyone so happy this early in the morning, I groaned in my head.
She wore a sunny yellow top with white lace adorning the collar and a pleated black skirt that fell below her knee. She was probably in her late thirties, but with her lack of makeup she appeared older. “I’m Temperance. I’m going to show you how all this craziness works. How familiar are you with the Cisco Unified IP phone system?”
“Um, not at all. I’ve never worked in an office before. The past couple of years I was a camp counselor, and I babysat, so this is all kind of new to me.” Temperance pursed her lips disapprovingly. I looked down at my feet, lifting my hand to my mouth as I bit the side of my thumb, trying to will my face not to flush.
“Oh boy. This is going to be harder than I thought. And they put you on the busiest floor, too,” she clucked, taking my hand and dragging me to another cubicle a few rows away and pushing me into the chair. “All you have to do is…” She prattled on and on for fifteen minutes about the meanings of the rainbow of color choices in the computer, not pausing to give me a chance to write any of it down or memorize a thing. “Got it?”
I couldn’t even respond, trying to keep the colors and screens straight in my head. I simply stared at her like a deer in headlights.
“Here, sit down and watch how I do it for a while. You’ll pick it up.”
Two hours later, I was completely overwhelmed and bored out of my mind simultaneously. We hadn’t moved at all, and I hated sitting still for this long. I swiveled in the chair, spinning in circles and taking in all the knitted decorations that filled Temperance’s cubicle. Between the crocheted seat cozy and pictures of cats everywhere with sayings like “Hang in there” and “You’re purrfect they way you are,” I assumed the woman didn’t get out much.
Temperance made me watch everything from a distance, never letting me participate in the training or learn anything. I tried for the first thirty minutes to look over her shoulder and pay attention to what she did, but the woman pushed buttons and typed so fast, I had no idea what she was actually doing.