Grover glanced around nervously before approaching the desk. Two security guards, both dressed in suits the same shade of blue as a policeman's uniform, sat behind a large window. They were both intently studying clipboards, looking up only when Grover stood right next to the small arched gap in front of one.
"Can we help you?" asked the guard, smiling up at him.
"I've got an interview at eleven" replied Grover, feeling a little skittish. The guard studied the clipboard for a moment before asking Grover to have a seat in the waiting room. He sat on a hard plastic bench and watched the security guards. The one to whom he had spoken made a brief telephone call, then returned to his clipboard.
Grover hoped it wouldn't be long. He'd arrived a half hour early, and walked around the parking lot until there were only five minutes remaining. He was a very patient man and could wait hours, but felt like an idiot sitting there doing nothing. His mind had started to wander when the guard called to him from the desk, cradling a receiver to one ear. "They've been in a meeting and will be out shortly." Grover nodded and checked his watch. It was half past eleven.
Doors began to open, and people came past. Some were being buzzed in by the guards, and some were going outside. All of them were wearing long white lab coats. He had only the vaguest notion of what was done here, but he was pretty sure it beat working at the monkey plant. He would be glad to be rid of that place.
"She didn't get the message and went to lunch. She'll be back shortly." the guard told him, holding the receiver in one hand and a donut in the other. Grover checked his watch again, it was now noon. He smiled and thanked the guard. He remained seated, smiling at the people milling past.
Some time later, a short, round, young looking woman in a large bunny suit came strolling up to him. She held out her hand and spoke. "Hi. Are you Grover? I'm Carol. Will you come with me please?"
Grover smiled, stood up, and briefly shook her hand. She turned and strolled off past the guards, Grover making it through the door right behind her. She led him through a maze of offices. The doors were all wooden, and their windows were blocked by blinds or construction paper. Signs with numbers and arrows were plastered all over the walls. They reached another lobby, this one with elevators and no visible exits to the outside world. Carol pressed a button and stepped into an elevator, Grover close behind.
"The interview will be done by Dr. Tibbles and myself," Carol said smiling. "Ms. Flosten can't make it, so it'll just be the two of us. We might as well get started now, how would you handle one of the researchers being upset with you?"
"I think that'd depend on why they were upset. I'd try to rectify it."
Carol stopped smiling. She scowled at Grover as if he'd just said something inappropriate about her mother. "I mean, some of them are a little disagreeable, not Dr. Tibbles of course, he's the best one, but if they were mad at you, what would you do?"
"I'd try to find out why they were mad at me and try to resolve the issue." Grover said, smiling more from amusement than politeness.
Carol went "Hmm," furrowing her brow and putting on an odd expression that made it seem as though her nose and mouth had shifted somewhat to the left. She crossed her arms and stared at the elevator doors until they opened. Grover had the feeling things weren't going well.
Carol stepped out of the elevator and skipped towards a hallway entrance. Grover followed and Carol pointed to the first door on the right. "We'll be doing the interview in there," she said tersely, before putting on a large smile and turning to a man in a cat suit who had been standing in the hallway, idly staring at a blank section of wall a few feet from a cork bulletin board half-covered with pastel handbills. "Hello, Dr. Tibbles!"
The man turned and looked at Carol, then took a step backwards. "This is Grover, we're going to interview him," said Carol, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb at Grover, who stood still and smiled. Dr. Tibbles didn't smile, but scowled at Carol.
"We're not going to hire him, do I really have to do this? I'm just here to talk to Stacey."
"She's in a budget meeting, and yes, you have to do the interview."
Dr. Tibbles scowled, then turned and walked down the hallway. Carol motioned to Grover to enter the room, which he did. They exchanged a few more pleasantries, Carol smiling again and bouncing around in her chair.
Goe, doesn't know when he'll put up part 2.
