The Interview

I'm sitting at my old desk in my old bedroom at my parents' house. It's a school day, so I won't be disturbed here. The same cannot be said for my apartment, which is why I'm not doing the interview there. I've got my laptop all set up, the documents they sent me open in Word so I can review them during the interview if I need to. I've got a glass of water and my iPhone microphone-headphones. The notes I've made myself say things like, "Don't giggle," "Don't interrupt," and "Enunciate." I've turned off call waiting so I won't be interrupted. I've made every preparation I can think of. I'm even wearing shoes.

And now I wait.

At 9:05, my phone rings. It says, "UNKNOWN." With my heart in my throat, I put the headphones in my ears and answer the call.

His name is David Hanson, and he's on speaker phone because someone named Phil is joining the interview. I'm not sure who Phil is, he's sitting too far away from the phone and it's hard to hear him so he doesn't say much.  I take a minute to have a silent flail about the fact that I'm talking on the phone right now to someone in England, and then I'm calm again. Weirdly calm. I know that's not me, it's the blessing made manifest.

Hanson asks me about the degree I have from SUU. I tell him, being sure to talk up my film and playwriting classes. This is, after all, a Master's in Writing for Screen and Stage. He asks about my job, and seems genuinely fascinated by what I do. We talk about that for a minute, then he and Phil take me through the general workings of the degree. I already know everything they're telling me, it was all in the documents they sent over, but I listen attentively and take notes anyway.

16 June 2014. That'll be the day.

The more I hear about the degree, the more I want to do it. I tell Hanson this. I need to convey to them just how much I want it. He asks if I someday want to settle in London, and if I've ever been there before. I tell them the story of my first few days in London, how different I felt from the rest of my classmates because I already knew London was my home.

They tell me I sound like a good candidate. A good candidate! That's better than I'd hoped for. We say our goodbyes and end the call. I flail some more.

I feel different, yet familiar. It's different because it doesn't belong here, in this place. It's familiar because it feels like home. Emma notices. I'm not sure what to do with it.

And now I wait some more.