Julia's Job Hunt part 2

Hello everyone! A lot of you have been asking about the whole audition thing, and whether or not I have/will/am going on any. To be honest, I've only been on three, and didn't even get seen on one of those. However, there is good news on the horizon! For the first time, there is an audition coming up that I'm actually really excited to go to! It takes place in the evening, for one thing, so I don't have to get up at an impossible hour to make myself all pretty and stuff, and it's for a couple different plays, in all of which I believe I'm castable. I feel fairly confident about it, but I'm still going to have to get off my lazy bum and practice my monologues; shouldn't be too hard, since I really like the two I'm planning on performing. Anyway, I'm announcing this here so that you can all bother me about it and make sure that I actually go!

And now, with that bit of business finished, I give you part 2!

Julia's Job Hunt, or, Physical Labor, It's All I'm Good For.
Part 2: Julia Answers Craigslist Help Wanted Ad

Julia: (looking at jobs on craigslist) Hmmm...cleaning person needed...simple cleaning jobs and running errands, $10 an hour, no experience needed, great for students looking for extra cash and/or really desperate 22 year olds. (Julia writes e-mail to craigslist poster.)

The Next Day

Julia: La, la, la, I think I'll check my e-mail. Hey! I got a response for that simple cleaning gig! (she reads) Real estate agent needs someone to clean apartments before I show them. Call if you can come today. (thinks) Today? That's awfully soon, I'd better get dressed!

45 minutes later...

Julia: (on the phone) Hi, this is Julia, I'm calling about the cleaning position.
Mateo: (on the other end) Great, I really need someone to clean this apartment which is going to be painted. Can you get to St. Marks Ave in 30 mins?
Julia: Get where? In what?
Mateo: St. Marks Ave. AVENUE, not PLACE. Here are some really confusing directions. You got all that?
Julia: Uh...me leave now?
Mateo: Good, call me when you get there.

20 minutes later...

Julia: (Get's off subway, walks in completely wrong direction for 5 blocks. Walks back and talks to subway station agent.) Excuse me, could you tell me where St. Marks Ave is.
Station Agent: There's a St. Marks Place.
Julia: Yes, I know, but I'm looking for St. Marks AVE.
Station Agent: (looks at Julia suspiciously) And I suppose you want to find your way to platform 9 3/4, also. Why don't you just start banging into every wall you find until you get where you're going. (Julia blinks up at him in confusion) THERE IS NO ST MARKS AVE!!!!
Julia: (on the phone) Um...Mateo, there is no St. Marks Ave.
Mateo: If you walk it, it will come.
Julia: Riiiight. (starts walking) Hey, look at that! A sign that says "St. Marks Ave"! Stupid station agent, grumble, grumble, grumble. (calls Mateo) I'm here!
Mateo: Great, I'll be there in a few minutes.
Julia: (waits.....watches girls fill out rental applications and make phone calls to their mommies and ask about co-signing. Julia sighs, and remembers those happier times.)
Mateo: (arrives) Hi, you must be Julia. Let me get these girls settled and then I'll show you what you'll be doing.
Julia: Great.

10 minutes later...

Mateo: OK, I need you to vacuum all the common areas, the entrance way and stairs and all the landings. Actually, sweep them with the shortest broom ever made, first. Then, take this almost completely useless vacuum which has no attachments, just the long sucking tube, and go back over everything. If your back doesn't hurt, you're doing it wrong.

2 hours and much bending over later...

Mateo: Now sweep the outside stairs and sidewalk with the same teeny tiny broom.

30 mins and more bending later...

Mateo: Good. Have you collapsed yet? No? Excellent, I have another apartment to clean.
Julia: Oh joy.
(They drive)
Mateo: OK, I need you to clean all the windows and windowsills, they have to be painted and we don't want to just paint over the dirt.
Julia: We don't?
Mateo: After that, you can do the stairs and hallways like you did at the last place. (He gives her a different vacuum, still with just the skinny tube, but at least it really sucks stuff up!)

1 hour later...

Mateo: Great, stay for another 15 mins and we'll call it an even 4 hours. We never really talked pay...
Julia: (jumps in desperately) Your website said $10 an hour!
Mateo: Hmmm...yeah, I guess. Usually I start people off at about $8. I'll give you the $10 today, and then if you want more regular work I'll have to give you $8, but if you keep working and are reliable, I'll bump it up. The last two girls only wanted to do it for one day, and then they said they couldn't. Weird, huh?
Julia: Noooooo...really? (thinks) Me no likey hard larbor. But me desperate.
Mateo: What?
Julia: What? Nothing. That's sounds fine.
Mateo: OK. Clean the baseboards and the scrub the door, and we'll call it a day.

15 mins later...

Mateo: Here's your money. (he holds out $40 dollars. The clouds part for a moment and a beam of sunlight hits the two twenties as they pass into Julia's hands. A choir of small boys burst into rapturous song....) Um, are you OK?
Julia: (shakes her head to clear it of choir boys) Yeah, I'm fine.
Mateo: Call me Sunday night if you want to do more work.
Julia: (dazed) Yeah, sure. Bye. (she walks away, the $40 safe in her purse.) I think I'll treat myself to Chinese food tonight...

The End

Next on Julia's Job Hunt:Will Julia call Mateo for more work? Will her back ever recover? Was the Chinese food good?Find out next time!