Frustration and anger had been pent up inside of me for quite some time now. Since I had moved to Avondale, Arizona, I had been looking for a job. I had a license now, that meant I was qualified to provide personal transportation to my establishment of employment.
Two weeks of searching had failed. I applied to places thirty minutes away from where I lived, over in Glendale, specifically on Bell Road. The mall, Arrowhead Towne Center, was located on that strip. I applied to Rave, Millers Outpost, Best Buy, Jamba Juice, Old Navy, Black-Eyed Peas, and Applebee's. The manager of Black-Eyed Peas interviewed me briefly the day that I applied, but since I wasn't a legal adult to serve alcohol, I had been turned down. To think I almost made it.
I had gone through a period of not looking for jobs because I had been planning to join the Cross Country team at school to make new friends. I found out that the team runs about five miles every practice and right after school, in the heat of the day no less. Hands down, I quit before I started. So, after my non-committment to the Cross Country team, I began looking for a job again.
I went out to the Wigwam Outlet Center in Goodyear. It was about ten to fifteen minutes away from where I lived. There, I applied to Bennett's Bar-B-Que and Chili's Bar & Grill. Half the places I had been to already didn't have applications, as did Chili's, but Bennet's had some, and it was a new opening as well. But then one day when I came home from school, my new job was laying on the couch, ready for my eyes to read about it.
Now normally, I don't read the newspaper. Maybe once a week, but that's it.
An entertainment section was sitting on the couch when I had joined it to channel surf for awhile. Dad was in his room completing computer business. I flipped through it, and this was an interesting issue. A feature on sky diving, lots of upcoming entertainment shows and events, and of course, the classifieds.
I spent a good half hour or so scanning that newspaper. There were about five to eight pages displaying ads for possible employment. Since I was in a state littered with golf courses, many of them addressed help to be a cart server, pro shop cashier, and more. I spotted an ad for some modeling, and then I came across the Sonic Drive-Thru ad, the exact Sonic establishment that I had ordered from that one day.
I questioned my Dad about working at the golf courses. He said that wouldn't be the best of ideas because those kind of people serve alcohol and since most golfers golf in the morning when it isn't that hot, I wouldn't have much business or tips if I took it as an after school job. Cross out about three applications out of five.
Cross out that modeling things. Those kinds of jobs are reserved for my daydreams, not realities.
I was left with the Sonic Drive-Thru job. I asked Dad if I should go right then to pick up an application. He said I could if I wanted to, and that the manager might be there, too. He told me that I should speak with them and not anyone else. I contemplated this for awhile, and finally took the plunge. I grabbed my keys, jumped into the car, and sped over to the Sonic.
I was surprised. Sonic had the car slots for people to order and eat their food in the car. They even had a patio for easier and more accessible comfort.
I parked near the back, and almost raced myself to the building. When I opened the door, I noticed there wasn't any place to sit down and actually have a meal. The whole restaurant was just for food ordering, preparation, and cleaning.
And there he was again. The guy that had served me my food the first time I ever ate at the Sonic. This time, I didn't notice it was him. It had been nearly three weeks since I had been back to this place. Basically, I was just in a rush to meet the manager and get my foot in the door for a job. Unfortunately, the manager wasn't there, but the assistant manager was, and it was him. I asked him for an application, and headed out the door, somewhat disappointed. That was it, I was setting myself up for a disappointment. And like my other times before, I had the feeling I wasn't going to be hired for this job.
But I did remember to ask when the manager would be in again. He was going to be there in the evening the next day. I made sure to be there promptly at six for my potential hiring.