Short Story 378 - The Unexpected Kindness of Strangers (Int)

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Short Story 378 - The Unexpected Kindness of Strangers (Int)
The rain hammered against the bus windows, blurring the already fading light. Inside, I huddled deeper into my coat, shivering despite the stuffy air. I was late, hopelessly late. My interview for the marketing assistant position at "Green Horizons," the leading organic food company in the city, had started an hour ago. I had overslept, of course. My alarm clock, a relic from my college days, had decided to take a sabbatical, leaving me to wake up to the sound of the insistent drumming of the rain against my window.
Panic had set in immediately. I'd envisioned myself rushing out the door, hailing a cab, and arriving at the interview, breathless but apologetic. But the rain was relentless, and the traffic, as expected, was a chaotic mess. The bus, my only affordable mode of transport, crawled along, each stop an agonizing eternity.
My mind raced. I imagined the interviewer, a stern-looking woman with a piercing gaze, shaking her head disapprovingly. "Unreliable," she'd think. "Poor time management skills." My chances, already slim, were now officially dashed.
As the bus finally lurched to a stop at the nearest station to Green Horizons, I scrambled off, ignoring the amused glances of the other passengers. My soaked hair plastered itself to my forehead, and my shoes squelched with every step. I reached the company building, a sleek glass structure that seemed to mock my drenched state.
Hesitantly, I pushed open the heavy glass doors and stepped inside. The reception area was a minimalist haven of calm, a stark contrast to the chaos outside. A young woman with a warm smile greeted me.
"You must be Ms. Evans," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle. "Mr. Davies is expecting you. Please, come this way."
Relief washed over me, so intense it almost made me dizzy. I followed her down a long, brightly lit corridor. The office was a hive of activity, a pleasant buzz of conversation filling the air.
"Mr. Davies is running a little behind schedule," the receptionist explained as she opened a door. "He apologizes for the delay."
Inside, Mr. Davies, a tall man with a kind face and a shock of white hair, rose to greet me.
"Ms. Evans, I do apologize for the wait," he said, his voice warm and sincere. "The traffic was horrendous."
I mumbled an apology, feeling my cheeks burn with shame.
"Please, don't worry about it," he assured me, gesturing towards a chair. "I can see you're drenched. Would you like a cup of tea? Some coffee?"
I gratefully accepted a cup of steaming tea. As I sipped the warm liquid, I explained the reason for my tardiness. Mr. Davies listened patiently, his expression understanding.
"These things happen," he said, a reassuring smile gracing his lips. "What matters is that you're here now."
The interview proceeded smoothly. Mr. Davies was engaging and insightful, asking thoughtful questions about my skills and experience. I found myself relaxing, enjoying the conversation....
Story written by Google Gemini 2.0 AI
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz - Unicorn Heads
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