One Clown Short

One Clown Short

A NOVEL

LINDA C.WRIGHT

Copyright 2010 Linda C. Wright

Smashwords Edition

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008921858

This book may not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-13: 978-1-58385-220-0

ISBN-10: 1-58385-220-4

To April, Kathy and Glenn

For always giving me new material to work with

And to Richard for his undying support

ONE CLOWN SHORT

CHAPTER ONE

THE INTERVIEW

It was a clear, crisp January day. She’d been driving around for over an hour looking for the place. None of the Internet map sites had ever heard of the address. She’d spent hours searching them all. She usually left plenty of time to find her way to an interview, giving herself some time to relax and gather her thoughts, but that was not the case today. Less than five minutes to spare. She was feeling rushed and not on top of her game.

This must be it, Mandy thought as she turned into the enormous parking lot. It was empty for the most part—only a couple rows near the building were filled with cars. She scoped out the entrance and found the closest spot.

Wish me luck, she said with her eyes toward the sky. Mandy had been looking for a job for almost six months. She had never heard of this company, Big Top Supplies, nor had she been able to find any information on it. The classified ad in the paper read:

Large supplier of entertainment equipment

Manager of Sales Training

Stable company with room for advancement

Excellent Benefits, 401K Salary Neg. Send resume to:

Big Top Supplies

P.O. Box 49223

Winter Falls, Florida 33223

She answered every classified ad that even vaguely reflected her skills. All Mandy needed right now was a job, doing anything, anywhere. She couldn’t afford to be picky. When she got the call to come in for an interview, she didn’t think twice. She felt unprepared, but she was desperate. Mandy was just squeaking by. She was working part-time at the local Burger Boy just to keep her head above water. She couldn’t ask her parents for the mortgage money again. It was painful every time she had to ask.

No one in the family ever stooped so low as to work at a Burger Boy. Why aren’t you more like your sister? Her sister had married a jerk with money and sat around eating bonbons all day. Why would she want to be like her? Mandy had had to ask for money a few times since she was laid off from what her mother called that lowly job as a customer service manager. So what if the job was outsourced to India? Mandy was told. It’s the kind of work those people were meant to do. Not Mandy. She had been raised better than that, or so her mother repeated to her, over and over and over again.

Please, dear God, let me get this job, she said as she walked to the front door

I’m here to see Larry Adams, she told the dour-faced receptionist. My name is Mandy Maloney. I have an appointment. Mandy looked around the waiting area. Pictures hung on every available inch of wall space. Circus pictures: flame throwers, elephants, clowns, human cannonballs, jugglers, trapeze artists.

So that’s why the name of the company is Big Top, she thought. It had never dawned on her that this company was all about the circus. Well, I guess this ought to be interesting, to say the least.

As she waited for Larry Adams to appear, she went over in her head her carefully prepared responses to the sure-to-be-asked canned interview questions. They had been on every other interview she had been on in the last six months. Mandy had no reason to believe this interview would be any different.

Tell me about yourself.

What are your long-term goals? What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

What about this job interested you?

If I could ask your last supervisor about you, what would he say?

Ms. Maloney?

Mandy shook herself out of deep thought and quickly stood up to offer her hand. Yes. Mr. Adams?

Please call me Larry. Nice to meet you. Let’s go into my office.

As they walked through the halls, Mandy couldn’t help but be awestruck by her surroundings. All the walls were painted bright reds, yellows, greens, pinks, and purples. This must be a fun place to be every day, she mused.

They entered Larry’s office, and it too was filled with circus posters and sales awards (in the shape of cotton candy and sno-cones).

Mandy’s eyes must have grown large trying to take it all in.

I was taken aback by all this when I first arrived here too. I thought I was in circus overload for a while. You’ll get used to it.

In an interview-style response, she said, It must be so motivating to be surrounded by all this every day. I know it makes me feel good, with all the bright colors and circus animals.

Well, that’s what we live for here. The circus puts food on my table and gas in my car. My kids have gotten used to those three squares every day! Tell me, Mandy, what do you like most about the circus?

Ummm, I guess I’m a . . . clown and cotton candy girl, she stuttered. Clowns are always having so much fun, joking around and acting silly. And cotton candy is so light and airy and sweet. It’s such a pretty color of pink. She was really stretching to pull this response out of her brain.

Good, I like that—clown and cotton candy girl. I’m a hot dog and trapeze boy, myself. There are people here that just live for the human cannonball or the parade of elephants, or dream of being the ringmaster. That’s what’s so great about the circus. It has something for everyone, doesn’t it?

It certainly does. She was feeling more than a little nervous. She hadn’t been to a circus since she was a child and wasn’t prepared to talk in any detail about it. Her heart sank. Being unprepared was never a good thing for her in an interview. Her nerves were kicking in and her mother’s voice, saying, Why can’t you be like everyone else in the family, was playing over and over in her head.

Larry, can I ask you about the responsibilities of this position in sales training? What exactly does the job entail?

This job? You’ll be perfect for it. You’ll have to develop a training program for our field sales staff to get them up to speed on all the hundred thousand items that we sell. You know the circus can’t go on without a good-fitting pair of oversized clown shoes! How big is the staff of this department?

I think there are about fifty people in this area. You’ll have two supervisors, and the rest are writers and research people. You’ll also have a few doodlers who spice up the documents with cute pictures and circus jokes. Other than that, I don’t really know what else they do over there, and I don’t really care. That will be up to you.

Now Mandy was really nervous. He was talking like she already had the job. Larry didn’t seem truly interested in anything about her, except that he was staring at her breasts. He was beginning to give her the creeps.

Well, I think we’ve talked enough. Can you come in on Monday? How does $75,000 sound to start? Yearly bonus ranges from thirty to fifty percent of your annual salary. And I haven’t had a year yet where I got less than seventy-five percent. This is a great place to work.

Her mouth dropped open. This was the craziest interview she had ever been to. For some odd reason, asking if she could have some time to think it over didn’t seem appropriate. And she was desperate. Telling her mother she had a job would at least put her back into semi-good graces for a while. She wouldn’t have to listen to her parents complain about Burger Boy anymore. She hadn’t been able to get that greasy smell out of her clothes, no matter how many times she washed them.

Monday is perfect. What time should I come in?

Terrific, you clown and cotton candy girl! Larry winked. Be here at nine. It’s going to be so great to have some fresh blood in here, especially someone who’s so knowledgeable about the circus.

Mandy thought, Knowledgeable about the circus? What am I getting myself into? Is this guy crazy? The pay was fabulous—she could get off the hook with her parents and out of debt. And she could stop flipping hamburgers! Hallelujah! But what did she know about what kinds of supplies were needed to run a circus, let alone how to teach someone else about them?

Mandy stood up and extended her hand to Larry. He did the same.

Mandy, we’re happy to have you as part of the team. As his eyes moved slowly up and down, Mandy suddenly felt like she had just been undressed

See you on Monday morning! You can find your own way out.

She called her mother from her cell phone on her drive home. Mom, guess what! I got a job!

Well, finally you’ve called with some good news for a change. I start on Monday. Manager of sales training at Big Top Supplies.

I’ve never heard of Big Top Supplies. What do they do? I hope you haven’t gotten yourself into another menial position, Mandy.

They sell circus supplies. It’s a good job—good benefits and a good salary.

Well, it’s about time. I hope that this year I can say something positive about what you’re doing with your life in the Christmas newsletter.

Just wanted you to be the first to know. Bye, Mom.

Every single time I call, Mandy thought, my mother knows just where to put the knife in and twist. I am not going to let her get the best of me. I have a job! I have a job! I’m calling Burger Boy, and then, let the party begin!

CHAPTER TWO

THE COMPANY CHEERLEADER

Mandy arrived early on Monday morning. She was too nervous to even attempt to eat breakfast. She parked her car in a far corner of the vast, empty parking lot. A little exercise would help calm her nerves.

It had been surprisingly difficult to turn in her resignation at Burger Boy. At thirty-two, she was the oldest person working there. All the kids looked up to her, and in a funny kind of way she was sad to leave them. She was the mother hen and they her flock. She decided to keep her uniform as a reminder that she was never too good to do even the most menial of tasks. Or maybe she would wrap it up and give it to her mother as a birthday present. That would score her some brownie points, now wouldn’t it! She would have it dry-cleaned and then pack it in mothballs so it wouldn’t transfer that disgusting smell to anything else in her closet.

It was time for Mandy to have a real job again, if that was what Big Top Supplies was going to be. She had her doubts but had made her choice, and she certainly couldn’t refuse the paycheck. In the same way she took to flipping hamburgers, Mandy would give it her all.

As she approached the front door on Monday morning, Mandy could hear someone shouting.

"Gimme an M!

"Gimme an A!

"Gimme an N!

"Gimme a D!

"Gimme a Y!

What’s it spell? MANDY! Yeah!

Her stomach began to sink, and if there had been anything in it, she would have thrown up right then and there. As she came around the corner Mandy could see pink and purple pompoms flashing wildly about.

Way to go, Mandy, way to go!

Clap, clap.

Way to go, Mandy, way to go!

Clap, clap.

Are you Mandy? A very excited young woman in a cheerleading skirt and sweater bearing the letters BT came rushing toward her.

Yes, I’m Mandy Maloney.

Yeah! You’re here! Welcome to Big Top. The pompoms never stopped shaking and her pigtails were in constant motion. The woman did a cartwheel in the grass followed by two back flips.

Welcome! My name is Tiffany, and I am the official Big Top welcoming committee.

Well, thank you, Tiffany. I am . . . overwhelmed by your energetic spirit. Actually Mandy was shocked by the spectacle, but Tiffany seemed to be enjoying this responsibility. And she wasn’t even breathing heavily, after all that.

I love my job. I love spreading good cheer. That’s why I’m the Big Top cheerleader. With pompoms still shaking, she said, C’mon Mandy. Come with me.

Mandy followed the bright and chipper Tiffany to the front door. Abruptly, Tiffany stopped and turned to hold the pompoms over Mandy’s face. They started to shake, tickling Mandy’s nose. Tiffany started to cheer.

Introducing the newest member of the Big Top family.

The pompoms began shaking in front of her face with more vigor. Her nose was itching like crazy now, but she was afraid to make a move.

Mandy Maloney!

Tiffany swept her hands down Mandy’s head and chest, finally giving her a good view of what lay before her. Enthusiastic applause and cheering filled the lobby. There must have been fifty people clap- ping along with Tiffany. She felt like she was going to pee her pants. Wouldn’t that make a great first impression? Mandy didn’t want to know what color of red she had turned. It was a shade she had never seen before—that she knew for sure.

"Mandy is our new manager of sales training. Make sure you stop by her office tomorrow and introduce yourself. It’s the cotton candy pink one on the third floor. But right now we are off to orientation.

Thanks for coming, everybody!"

Mandy heard laughter as the crowd began to disperse. The laughter began somewhere around the word orientation.

Tiffany, does everyone get this warm of a welcome?

Of course. That’s my job. I’m the Big Top cheerleader. Tiffany replied with a tone of how could you ask such a stupid question and doesn’t every company do the exact same thing. It’s just that today you are the only new person. Usually I have more of a crowd. So today was a little strange. She curled up her nose.

Mandy followed the pompoms through the hallways to a room with a big sign on the door: Orientation The room was filled with what she was beginning to think of as normal pictures, plaques, and awards covering every inch of wall space. At one seat in the front of the room was a stack of papers a few feet high. Tiffany pointed Mandy toward it.

"Let’s get going, we have a lot of paperwork to get through. Here’s your pen.

First, your network sign-on and e-mail address.

Mandy read the paper. Her new e-mail address would be [email protected].

There’s no time to read every paper, Mandy. We’re going to be here all day as it is. Just sign by the X and let’s keep going.

Oh, the ever positive Tiffany! Mandy did as she was told. Medical insurance forms, 401K, stock options, emergency notifications— the papers just kept coming. Tiffany was flipping them one by one off the pile, placing the next one in f ront of Mandy as soon as she signed the last one, and turning it face down onto the completed pile. How much longer can this go on? Mandy thought. Finally one of the papers caught Mandy’s attention.

Company car. I get a company car?

Well, you are eligible, but I have to tell you that, if you choose the car, there’s only one model to choose from.

What is it?

It’s a yellow- and purple-striped station wagon with an elephant on top.

Mandy looked at Tiffany strangely.

No one has ever taken it. They take the allowance instead. You’d be the first.

I think I’ll take the allowance.

Good choice.

She signed the paper and moved on. The next paper placed in front of her read

What size shoe do you wear?

What is your favorite TV show?

What is your favorite color?

What is your favorite act in the circus?

What is your favorite movie?

What size underwear do you wear?

How tall are you?

Tiffany, where are we going with this? Mandy asked. What is all this information for?

In a little while the clown costumer, Jose, will be here to take your measurements. This helps him design a suitable clown costume for you.

Clown costume?

Yes. Everyone at Big Top gets their own personally designed clown costume to wear on special occasions. Isn’t that just the coolest? she squealed. I just love mine. I’d wear it to work every day, if I could. When was the last time you worked at a company that gave you your own personal costume to wear? Tiffany was oozing with excitement as she spoke.

Uh, yes, very cool, Mandy hesitatingly agreed.

She kept on signing. The papers got more confusing as the day wore on.

Have you ever been to Niagara Falls?

Are you allergic to latex?

Do you know why circus peanuts are always orange?

Mandy had to sign to certify her answer on each piece of paper.

Mandy finally looked at her watch as she signed the last paper. It was now 4:15. She hadn’t even had a break for lunch, and she was famished. As she took the last piece of paper and put it on the pile, Tiffany grabbed her pompoms and began a cheer.

Mandy, Mandy, we’re almost done.

Clap, clap.

Then it will be time to have some fun!

Clap, clap.

Yeah!

Tiffany clapped, threw her pompoms in the air, and jumped up and down. She ran to the corner of the room and grabbed a big canvas bag. She plopped it down in front of Mandy just as she’d done with all the paperwork.

This is for you. A couple of things need some explanation. She began to search for and pull items out of the bag.