Opportunity

‘Thanks, I’ll think about it.’

Tom was on the move. The latest recruitment agent’s offer seemed too good to refuse.

Tom still felt stung when he thought back about his prior job. He’d jumped ship to come to his current employer, persuaded by another smooth-talking agent and a manager, now his boss, who explained the substantial new responsibilities and prospects for pay raises.

As a son of an Egyptian businessman and a Sudanese writer who emerged from a political family of Sudan, Tom had always looked different in Perth Australia, where he grew up, and had always been treated accordingly. People did not how to place him, and despite having loving parents, Tom had not really placed himself and felt largely unplaced.

His experience growing up and entering adulthood of a growing realisation of his status as a marginal man meant that he generally did not feel that he belonged, and overtures for his professional skills supplied that feeling of belonging amongst those who were not the same as him which so often lacked.

So the 24-year old Tom was sometimes susceptible to the subtle flattery of being wanted. After moving over to his current job, Tom had met with a former colleague who had said that Tom had been in line for promotion at his former company – which would have come with a substantial pay rise. ‘I have to catch up with where I would have been,’ Tom decided, and was now open to offers – again.

* * *

The fire alarm sounded. It was a long slow whooping sound. The floor warden appeared wearing a yellow helmet. All the office workers on Tom’s floor were walking towards the fire staircase talking and laughing.

The mostly well-to-do professional office workers crowded down the stairs. Looking down Tom could see hundreds of workers moving around the square spiral downwards. They were bound for a meeting point outside the office where the floor warden would call the roll to ensure everyone is accounted for.

Bang! Bang! ‘Aaaah!’ high-pitched screams sounded. Bang! Bang!

The gunshots and screams reverberated in the concrete stairwell.

Everyone crouched on the stairs. Tom wondered whether anyone was hit.

‘Stand up and keep moving to the assembly point! We need to finish the fire drill.’

Everyone stood up, some as white as ghosts and trembling, needing their colleagues’ assistance to walk. A camera crew glided amongst the workers taking close up shots of the fear-stricken and some tear-streaked faces.

Outside at the assembly point a paramedic crew gave assistance to those in shocks and covered the faces of the workers who had been shot. Police interviewed those who could still speak while a SWAT team entered the building to capture or kill the shooter.

A slick camera crew filmed everything and the director waved instructions, but for the most part the director watched and let the actors do their jobs. This was the third take, and the director was satisfied with the way this one was turning out.

* * *

Tom met his colleague Jake before returning to the office to get a hot drink, and have a chat.

Sitting under the canopy of an outdoor table, Jake took a sip from a brown cardboard cup with the café logo on the side in black text. ‘Woah those gunshots hurt my ears,’ complained Jake.

‘It was realistic wasn’t it?’ said Tom.

‘I never thought I’d be in a shoot-up movie,’ said Jake suddenly feeling exhilarated.

‘I never thought I’d be in a movie. I guess we just turn up and be ourselves don’t we,’ remarked Tom.

‘Yeah. My kids love it when I tell them about these shoots,’ said Jake remembering that he was on pick-up duty today so had to leave work early to collect his children from school. Returning to the moment, Jake asked, ‘What have you got on for the rest of the morning?’

‘I’ve got my weekly meeting with my manager,’ said Tom.

‘Sounds like fun. I’ve got to finish my Board paper edits,’ said Jake surprising himself at how cheerful he sounded.

* * *

Sitting in the windowed meeting room, Tom reviewed his mental list of items to discuss, while his manager Christie sat down.

‘Tom I’m going to be on leave for 4 weeks. Would you be interested in covering for me during that time?’

Hmm, here’s a chance for more responsibility thought Tom. ‘Sure, that will be fine. I might need an overview of initiatives in train that I’m not aware of.’

‘Thanks. Yes of course we’ll have a handover. The main items are the Board paper but you’re already involved in that, and a few staff management issues that I’ll explain to you. I think it would be valuable for your development to take on some management items since you mentioned people management in your development plan.’

‘Yes that’s the direction I want to head in – thanks for bearing in mind my development plan.’

The rest of the meeting was spent in minutiae of the Board paper that Tom was working on, wordsmithing each paragraph to ensure the right team got the right kind of attention for each project outcome that was described.

* * *

Back at his desk, Tom’s phone alert him to another phonecall. ‘Hello, Tom Richards.’

‘Hi can you talk confidentially? This is the Class A Planning Recruitment Agency.’

‘Sure,’ said Tom as he walked to a meeting room and closed the door.

‘I understand that you are open to new opportunities.’

‘Yes that’s right.’

‘Your name came up in our search and you are highly recommended for a role at…’ the agent went on to describe one of the most prestigious projects underway in Tom’s line of work, and an important role that he was invited to interview for.

‘Thanks so much! Yes I’ll be there for the interview next Monday at 9am. Bye.’

‘Thanks Tom. Good luck.’

While walking back to his workspace, Tom’s phone alerted him again, ‘Hello, Tom Richards.’

‘Hi this is Grewson Partners Actors Agents. Would you be free for a short chat this afternoon. You were noticed in the film shooting this morning, and we would like to talk to you about casting plans for future roles.’

‘Wow,’ ha ha Tom stifled a laugh, ‘oh um this was just a cameo this morning and I hadn’t thought of…’

‘We realise that you weren’t thinking of acting as a career but still would you like to meet for a chat. Are you free this afternoon or evening?’

‘Yeah okay, 6 o’clock.’

‘Alright we’ll come to you. How about the 9 Brewers, that’s just outside isn’t it.’

‘Yes sounds good. Okay see you then.’

* * *

The talk with the acting agent was exciting, and Tom walked away imagining he could be in widely-watched films one day. It would be a big move, turning a hobby into a career. But, with acting, Tom wondered, was he interesting on screen for any more than his exotic appearance? But even if so, wasn’t that a unique opportunity in itself to get started?

As he drifted off to sleep that night, Tom’s thoughts were filled with a light excitement about so many possibilities. He woke up weary of all the options and yearned for some continuity, and to get into the details of something — anything.

Tom made three phone calls, and in each call said, ‘Thanks for thinking of me and taking the time to explain the opportunity. I’ve decided to stay where I am for now. There are important projects that require my attention and focus, and I feel like I’m needed here.’

End.