I Know, Darling
When our receptionist is on the phone, any overflow calls ring through to the back office. I picked up one of these calls.
“Thank you for calling, this is Lauren.”
“Hello, Lauren. I was wondering what kind of work was going for HC drivers.”
Typically, people with a Heavy Combination licence are in demand, so I thought I’d find out some more information.
“I don’t think we have any vacancies at the moment, but they do come up pretty frequently,” I told him. “Could you send through your resume? After that -”
He cut me off.
“I know what you’re going to say next,” he said. “And let me tell you now, I don’t have a resume.”
A twinge of irritation flared up inside me. He was applying for a job. Of course I was going to ask for a resume.
“I don’t have a home, I don’t have a lot of possessions, I don’t have a family – well, I’ve got a couple of sisters up north, but that’s complicated. All’s I’ve got is memories of the past and pictures in my mind. I’m in Sydney at the moment, but I was looking at moving up Newcastle way.”
His life story was of no consequence without a word document of his work history.
“Would you be able to put together a resume? Then we can get you in for an induction.”
“I’ve been driving for twenty years. I started out in South Australia…”
I soon realized that he was giving me a verbal resume. This had gone too far. I zoned out until he was finished.
“…so do you have any work for me?”
“Actually, I don’t usually deal with driving jobs,” I started.
He cut me off again.
“I know that, darlin’,” he drawled. “You’re a nice, sweet thing, but I can tell you don’t know anything about driving jobs. Now, why don’t you put me on to someone who does?”
Rage surged in my body. My jaw went slack. My mind went white and I couldn’t access my powers of witty, vengeful replies.
“Hold on,” I said, as soullessly as possible.
I transferred the call to someone who does deal with driving jobs. Then I fumed silently in my corner of the office, wishing I had said something to put him in his place. No matter what conventional wisdom says, taking the high road isn’t as satisfying as petty verbal revenge.