Application Collection + Cajun Chicken Lasagna

We hit the road today with Plus One's application for a bilingual job at the children's center of a nearby township...and I needed to stop by the friendly chain drugstore to finish my computer application.

His drive-by was uneventful - the director wasn't available so he left it with the secretary. When I stopped into the drugstore, wearing the only dress pants with a zipper that still fit my well-nourished hips, I found the Asst Manager, who set me up on a computer. I then proceeded to answer an assortment of questions - basic arithmetic skills, reading coupons, data entry, match the person's name in Column A to the person's name in Column B, scenarios about problems in the pharmacy, unruly customers, and some subjective ones on answering the telephone and how to advise a customer on what glue to buy for a broken picture frame. (Could I make this stuff up?) I double checked every answer and when complete, the Asst Manager told me to wait to find the Manager. He eventually emerged to greet me, let me know they do not currently have any openings, but let's look at my app and score anyway.

My score: 96.3

Are you joking? Are your freaking kidding me? A 96.3? I know I did better than that! I checked my answers! I went to a $7,000/year private high school and received a top notch college education. I've written papers for political candidates, launched policy teams across the country, assisted research faculty at a world class university. I can do math and data entry and read coupons!

The manager gave me the schpeal about how they didn't have any jobs, but if one opened up, I would be in the list of those considered, and if I don't hear anything in 60 days, to reapply. I don't think he was very smart himself.

I was so beside myself that I not only freaked, while laughing, to Plus One, I also called my mother - who like she always had assured me that I'm smart and probably did better than the other people who apply.

But this is simply unacceptable! And yet, funny!

We headed back toward home and Plus One picked up applications for low-paying positions at 6 more banks, while I cheerfully acquired paperwork from a discount grocery store, a well-known healthy sandwich shop chain, and a women's clothing store that loves polyester but seems like it could be chill enough for part-time entertainment. Hopefully, they don't make me take a math test.

Coming home I both felt like a real idiot but also accomplished for our assortment of applications to fill out tonight.

And before I forget, check out the Cajun Chicken Lasagna I just put in the oven.