My document holder was only half full, even with everything I had. I had less than ten certificates in total. Apart from the character certificate, the senior prefect certificate, and the school leaving certificate, I only received about three other certificates from school. Since I didn't participate in sports, I didn't have any sports certificates. I could barely swim, so I didn't exactly have a fit body. Not that I was a tub of lard, though; I was more on the chubby side. But my father, on the other hand, had a very handsome physique. I wondered how he maintained it. I never saw him exercising. Maybe he did it when I was at school.
Around 1:00 PM, I got ready and went to the road to catch the bus. Even though I knew how to ride a motorbike, I didn't have a license, so I didn't want to risk getting a ticket. I figured arriving an hour early for the interview would be enough. Since we were school leavers, we didn't have to take any exams, they said. The HR department was in town anyway, so there was no need to go too early and hang around.
About ten minutes later, the bus arrived. I sat at the back of the bus to avoid wrinkling my clothes.
... .. .. .. ..
"Good evening, I'm Ayan. I have an interview today regarding the internship program at the HR department. Could you tell me how to get there, please?" I asked the pretty girl at the reception.
"Hello... Good evening. Please let me check the applicants list. Your good name is Ayan, right? ... Ayan Hasaranga Jayasinghe? ... Your number is 54, and your appointed time is 3:00 PM. I'll inform you. For now, you can wait in the waiting area."
"Thank you," I said, taking my document holder and sitting in the waiting area. Forty more minutes to go.
About twenty minutes later,
"Number 54, Mr. Ayan? Is that you? The interview room is over there. Please go in when they call your name."
"My appointed time is 3:00 PM. Why so early?" I asked, surprised.
"Oh, no, a couple of people before you on the list haven't arrived on time," she said.
.. . ... ..
"Good evening, Ayan, right? Take a seat," a lady greeted me even before I could greet them.
The interview room was sterile and brightly lit, a stark contrast to the warmth of the afternoon sun outside. Four faces stared at me from across the polished table, two men and two women, their expressions unreadable. My heart pounded in my chest as I sat down, my sweaty palms leaving faint prints on my trousers. The lady who had greeted me earlier smiled encouragingly, but it did little to calm my nerves. I fumbled with my certificate holder, suddenly feeling like a clumsy schoolboy despite my carefully rehearsed introduction.
"Yes, good evening, and thank you," I replied, sitting down and placing my certificate file on the table.
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"We have your CV. You brought the certificates and other documents, right?"
"Here it is, sir," I said, smiling and sliding the certificate holder towards him.
"While we're checking this, you can introduce yourself.. ....."
"So, Ayan," one of the men began, his voice deep and resonant, "tell us why you're interested in an internship at Sumedha Health Care." I took a deep breath, trying to recall the polished answer I had prepared. "I've always been interested in the medical field," I began, my voice trembling slightly, "and Sumedha has an excellent reputation for training and development. I'm eager to learn from experienced professionals and contribute to a real-world healthcare setting." The man nodded, his eyes scrutinizing me. "And what makes you think you're a suitable candidate for this program?"
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I got home around five o'clock. My father hadn't arrived yet. The interview took longer than I expected. One interview down, barely. They told me to come back in four days. If I pass the basic tests then, I can start working from that day onwards.
I called my two best friends to see how they were doing.
(How did the interview go, man?)
"Yeah, it was okay, I think. They told me to come back in four days. There's another exam. I don't know what's going to happen, man."
(That'll be fine, man. Your A/L exam results are better than ours. And you went looking smart and tidy. If you lose about 20 kilos, you'll be perfect...)
"Go on, you dog, don't be jealous. I worked so hard to get this body. Look at me; I have a potbelly of eight months now. You'll realize how much you miss me when there are leftover meals," I said, laughing.
(Yeah, yeah, tell us when the baby's due. We'll come to see it with a bar of baby soap.)
"You'll be needing that baby soap… in your… you know where ... you donkey! .... When are you coming back? How are things at the wake?"
(Things at the wake weren't much different without you, man. Because you left, we got the work done well. ... Our parents came back this evening. I'll stay for another two or three weeks and then come with Thariya. After all, we're just enjoying the… freedom from responsibility, right?) Dhanindu dropped a hint there.
"Ha ha... don't whine. If I get the job, we'll have a small party... your treat." I also dropped a hint.
(haa haa.. you dimwit.. think will pay for it..)
(Hey, did you hear about Mr. Silva getting a promotion?) Thariya asked. (Yeah, apparently he's going to be the new principal,) Dhanindu replied.
"That guy always had it in for us," I said, remembering the countless times I'd been sent to detention for minor infractions.
(Well, karma's a bitch,) Thariya chuckled.
"Maybe he'll finally get what he deserves."
...the conversation drifted to more familiar territory. We reminisced about our school days, the crazy pranks we pulled, and the teachers who had driven us crazy. Dhanindu recounted a hilarious story about a mishap with a science experiment that had ended with the entire class covered in green goo. We laughed until our sides ached, the stress of the day momentarily forgotten.Talking with them always makes the stress just melt away.
"Hey, slowpoke... Hang up the phone... I'm too lazy to even press the button." finally i left them to carry on..
...... ... .. ...
The thought of not going to university right away also weighed heavily on my mind. I had always dreamed of pursuing higher education, of expanding my knowledge and exploring new ideas. But now, with my father's unexpected announcement, my plans seemed to be hanging in the balance. I felt a mix of disappointment and uncertainty. Was I ready to give up on my dreams for the sake of whatever "work" my father had in mind?
My father's cryptic comment about resigning from his job and me working with him for the next four months kept replaying in my mind. What kind of work could it be? And why was he so secretive about it? A wave of unease washed over me. Was it something dangerous? Something illegal? I trusted my father, but there was a part of me that couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss.