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Jenna's
Diary
Oct
6
What
a day! I got a job at a place called Maidex. It sounded like some kind
of software firm but I didn't want to ask on the phone because it might've
sounded rude.
I
was exactly on time and I met Mr. Miles or "Jack". He has a
warm fatherly presence. He took me in and shook my hand and then he looked
at me for a really long time.Then he goes:
" I can really read people. You're a rebel. You've got wanderlust.
You can't be tied down--you break the rules and make your own. You know
that you've got power. The power to influence. You don't fit in other
places because you're an eagle just waiting to soar."
I
couldn't get over it, it was so true. It was uncanny.
He
told me all about the Maidex family, he has Polaroid all over the walls
of all the partners (you're a partner at Maidex, not an employee--which
is as Jack says, the way it should be) I was looking at the photos when
a huge flash went off--he took the picture of me and put it on the wall
before it had even developed.
He
choked back a tear and welcomed me to the Maidex family. I had to blink
back a few tears too I was so touched.
My
training starts Monday, I can hardly wait to tell Paul all about it. I
think he'll appreciate how much this affected me-- this instant acceptance.
Paul is a rebel like me. We make our own rules.
Oct
7
I'm
excited and a little scared. What if I'm not rebellious enough? And do
I really have the wanderlust? I only moved to this apartment because I
got evicted from my other one and I had been there for eight years.
I
do like movies about people traveling though and I think a lot about my
cottage which is pretty far.
It
was hard to decide what to wear though. A business suit isn't all that
rebellious but jeans may make me look too rebellious and that worries
me because it may be a matter of levels.
It
was such a beautiful day today. The leaves are just starting to turn and
the sun is making everything look golden. It would have been great to
head off the park for a picnic with Paul. I'd bring some wine and we'd
feed each other bits of cheese. There would be only a tiny bit of Brie
left but I would bring it to his lips--but his hand would stop me because
of my unselfish gesture and he would feed it to me.
There
would be mother's and babies strolling and a father playing Frisbee with
his kid. The Frisbee would land right next to me and I jump up and join
the game.
Paul
would laugh at my spontaneity and once again shake his head at the pleasure
I take in life's small things. He would sit back and just enjoy watching
me. Then one of the mother's who was feeding the ducks with her child
starts to scream and I look over and I see that her toddler has fallen
in, without hesitation I run and dive into the pond--no river--with no
thought for my own safety. I frantically swim against the current and
grab the little boy and bring him back to the shore, just as I hand him
to the mother my sweater snags on a branch and I am pulled underwater.
The
next thing I know Paul's face is over me. He has tears streaming down
his face. He sees my eyes flutter and he cries "Oh, my God I thought
I'd lost you!! Then we'd do it right there--wait--then the grateful mother
who is a film producer says--you saved my boys life, if there is anything
I can do for you--and then we'd do it after the newspaper took my picture.
I
need more wine.
Oct
9
The
Big Day!!!I went to the training session and everybody was so welcoming
it was like instant belonging.
He
handed out song sheets, which was a little bit embarrassing and we all
sang "I want a Maidex just like the Maidex that married dear old
dad". Which made me start to wonder what a Maidex was. But once again
I made the mistake of actually accepting a job before I found out what
the job was--but this is different.
Finally
he wheeled out the Maidex 2000, a vacuum--but not just any vacuum the
queen of vacuums.
There
was this guy Al and he is our Partner Leader. He talked for about an hour
about how us rebels like to live life on our own terms. We know what we
want and how to get it. We don't understand the meaning of the word no.
It was so exciting, although to be honest a lot of the other people didn't
look all that rebellious but it was invigorating.
You
see not just anyone can sell a Maidex. You need to have a specific type
of personality, everyone partner is hand picked. Many are called and few
are chosen.
At
first I thought, "Oh, God I'm going to be selling vacuums?"
But I'm not selling them--they sell themselves.
Oct
10
I
definitely need a car, there is no way you can sell vacuums using the
transit system.
We
got to pick up our Maidex first thing this morning. I was amazed at all
the attachments--they even have one for drying your hair!! I can't believe
that.
I
spent some time getting familiar with it, this thing is really powerful--it
took me 45 minutes to get my scarf out. It's a good thing I hadn't knotted
it around my neck or that would have been embarrassing.
Al
gave us a "grateful participant" list of people to contact.
Unfortunately all of my people were in a senior's community on the other
end of town.
It
took me ages to load all the stuff on the bus.The vacuum weighs a ton
and there is a huge box of attachments.What ever happened to kindly old
ladies? There were three behind me that huffed and puffed as I loaded
the stuff and not even one would stop to help me.
There
seems to be some kind of mix-up. These grateful participants weren't grateful
nor did they participate.
If
people aren't going to answer the door they should at least have the courtesy
to pretend they aren't home. At one house the woman didn't even hide behind
the curtains she just stood at the window as I tried to explain in pantomime
what I was doing there.
Not
only did I not make a sale, no one even opened the door to me.
I
wonder if Paul has a car.
Oct
11
I
talked to Al the Partner Leader and he said the big mistake I was making
was arriving on the doorstep with the vacuums. He explained that there
are many unscrupulous vacuum sellers out there and probably the grateful
participant thought I was from one of those firms. He suggested I leave
the vacuum in the car and then strike up a conversation with the person.
I should compliment them on their hair or their house, whichever looks
best, then after some small talk I would bring the system out.
That
makes perfect sense I don't want to be associated those other vacuum firms.
Since
I don't have a car, I hid the vacuum in the bushes. The first grateful
participant I dealt with was really nice she invited me in and offered
me tea.
I thought it was sure-fire until she mentioned that she invented a gadget
called the "telephone" and would I like to see it? She kind
of took control of the conversation after that and it was four hours before
I was able to leave.
I
should have went on a few more calls but I grabbed a burrito and took
a taxi home.
It
wasn't a total loss though, because I think of how much Paul will laugh
when I tell him about it. I'll explain how I kept looking at the door
while she was rambling on about how Bette Davis stole her compact and
he'll laugh and laugh until we collapse in a heap.
Then
we'll do it.
Oct
12
I
have had a lot of bad days but this is definitely up there as the worst.
I
took the system out to see my next grateful participant and I noticed
they didn't have any bushes so I was kind of stumped.
I
dragged the system behind their house and left it next to their garbage
bins.
I'm
halfway through complimenting the woman on her lovely eyebrows, when the
cops pulled up.
It
seemed some nosy old biddy from next door called the cops on me!!!!
Not
stop me if I'm completely insane but is it usual for burglars to bring
$1400 pieces of equipment to the crime scene?
They
took me to the police station and questioned me like I was some sort of...
of... criminal. It seems they found it hard to believe that I would be
selling vacuums without a car. It made matters worse when they called
Maidex to verify my identity and someone there started to pitch to them.
They
then balled me out for bilking the elderly and taking advantage of officers
of the law.
They
finally let me go with a warning. A WARNING! HELLO? What did I do wrong.
O.K.
but that was cream filling compared to what happened next.
I'm
lugging the vacuum and the attachment box out of the police station, and
I look across the street.
There
in the flesh was Paul.
I
was so excited! I thought maybe this day wasn't going to go in the crapper
after all that maybe this was just some crazy fate thing that we would
laugh about when we retired in Sarasota.
I
called out to him and he looked but he just kept walking.
I
figured he didn't recognize me with all the attachment so I ran after
him. That was not easy because the vacuum weighs a ton and does not roll
straight on concrete. Also the attachment box was fraying at the seams.
After
3 blocks he finally stopped and came up to me.
I
had this big goofy smile on my face that I would sacrifice my left arm
to erase the memory of.
He
looked at me and said " This is entrapment".
Then
he went on and one about how has not violated his parole he has gone nowhere
near Rachel Gruen that I had absolutely nothing on him.
The
seam on the box gave way and all the attachments crashed to the sidewalk.
He
gave me the finger and walked away.
I
burst into tears and someone stepped on my crevice tool.
Yes,
this has been a horrible day.
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© 2000 www.happywomanmagazine.com
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