The day started with a stuffy nose as Cleakin's body purged itself of city's smell. Cleake, as they called him, never passed a season without some sort of sickness and summer was no exception. After ridding his dry throat, he ran out the door of 107 Castle Apartments to work. He had slept in again. He had received his last warning yesterday from his boss at Forever 21. Despite Cleake's effort, he still fell late of his arrival date. Cleake's boss was sitting at the door waiting for Cleake's failure. This meant only one thing, Job-hunting.
Cleake grabbed a paper for job offerings and went to park. Losing his job didn't necessarily bother Cleake, he never really cared for it. The stress of job-hunting is what saddened Cleake. There were multiple jobs looking for someone just like him. Walter's Lanes, WTF 100.4, and Alfonso's Pets all had openings. Cleake went bowling at Walter's Lanes with Scooby Doolittle all the time. Everyone there knew him so he decided to try there first.
He went in and say a new attendant. He knew that this new person may have already taken the job, but still went up and asked to see the manager about a job opening. Immediately, the attendent replied, "I'm sorry, the manager isn't in right now." Cleake knew right then that he was lying, that the attendant already had his job, and that the manager had told him to say that. He knew the manager quite well but still wouldn't sway him for the job. This meant he had to continue the dreadful act of job-hunting.
Next on his list was WTF 100.4. Working at a radio station appealed to him. Everyone he knew listened to the radio station and he wanted to feed them their music. Instead of taking Sobchak Boulevard to Beson Street and then Sunset Terrace to the station, he took the back path by the Soup Kitchen. One of the people sitting outside the Soup Kitchen was actually listening to WTF 100.4. Unfortunately for Cleake, there was an announcement specifying qualities the station was looking for in their opening. They needed someone energetic, caring, and entertaining. Everyone that knew Cleake would tell you that he was the opposite. Cleake knows his strengths and his weaknesses and didn't care enough to go ahead anyway. Cleake hated pets, but it was better than nothing.
What Cleake did know, was animals. He loved biology. He knew he had the expertise to be good at this. Cleake was ready to apply. If he didn't get this job, he'd go home unemployed and depressed. He walked in, asked the see the manager about a job opening and got in immediately. This meant no one had been applying and his odds had increased. The manager asked him all the necessary information. Past jobs, expertise, etc. The manager seemed to like Cleake. Then came the one question Cleake dreaded. "Why are you not with your previous job?" He knew he couldn't lie. Cleake came clean and explained how he had consistently been late day after day. The manager's smile fell... Never had Cleake been more nervous at his young age. By some miracle, the manager had given Cleake a chance. Cleake had the job. He could sleep well that night. He thanked the manager graciously and said see you tomorrow. The manager responded with "8 o'clock sharp!" Cleake was free for the day. His only worry would be showing up on time the next day.
I like that instead of just smelling something during the day, you incorporated the smell more into the story as it actually affects you instead of you just smelling it sometime during the day.
ReplyDeleteI really like this line: "The day started with a stuffy nose as Cleakin's body purged itself of city's smell. Cleake, as they called him, never passed a season without some sort of sickness and summer was no exception." because it's more than just narration- it reflects something about you at the same time.
You seem like someone that's lost their motivation in life but is still functional enough to know that you need a job. It would be interesting to see Cleake do something out of the ordinary like excel in his new job or fall in love.
I really really liked this! You've very descriptive, but you didn't mention a distinctive smell. I feel like I really KNOW Cleake. I'm interested in what else he does with his time though. I thought it was really clever that the whole blog was about how he needs a new job. It was such an action-filled post, but also told me a lot about Cleake, so well done.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few problems with grammar/sentence structure. Watch out for subject/verb agreement and that all your verb tenses are the same.
I thought it was a bit inconsistent that Cleake hates pets but loves animals.
I like the line, "They needed someone energetic, caring, and entertaining. Everyone that knew Cleake would tell you that he was the opposite. Cleake knows his strengths and his weaknesses and didn't care enough to go ahead anyway. Cleake hated pets, but it was better than nothing" because it's descriptive and makes me like Cleake. He seems like a care-free character.
As a comment to the "inconsistencies," Cleake knows animals and loves biology. He can still hate pets...
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