The Interview

Marcel and Blue enter a small room in which a rectangular, oak desk sits in the center. Marcel motions for Blue to take the nearest seat as he walks around to sit across from her.

Marcel: Welcome to the office Blue, I hope you found your way here alright. We don’t typically conduct our interviews here, becau—

Blue: Enough with the small talk. I don’t know who runs this business, but I have plans to rebuild this place from the ground up.

Marcel is awestruck by Blue’s confidence.

Marcel: Very well, I see you are not the usual candidate, and I will abstain from treating you as such. Now tell me… What do you know about me?

Blue: I know you struggle with yourself.

Marcel: Well, I don’t kno—

Blue: I know you’re afraid nothing will come of this. This campaign. Or that, God forbid, everything will come of it! I know that you are afraid your blind faith will make you a monster instead of a hero. I know, Marcel, that you fear this system that you work for.

Beginning to sweat, Marcel checks the time on the clock resting on the desk to his right.

Marcel: Listen, Blue. You have me right in your words, but not in your tone. Yes, this campaign is built upon uncertain ground, a leap of faith if you will. But, perhaps you do not understand the creativity, the efficiency, and the power that ensues with a leap of faith. This organization could have spent the next hundred years searching for solid ground, but we, my dear Blue, have used our time instead to build.

Blue looks at the clock, attempting to imitate Marcel, and begins to smirk.

Marcel: So would you like to proceed with the interview, as usua—

Blue: You’re a cheat.

Marcel: I beg your pardon?

Blue: You’re a fraud.

Marcel: Look, I don’t know what you mean by these words, but surely—

Blue: Perhaps had you looked one year longer, sir, you would not have built your empire upon trash.

Marcel begins to sweat profusely.

Marcel: Like I said Blue, every campaign must at some point begin to build.

Blue: I guess you are right, my man.

Marcel: If you don’t ha— What?

Blue: I guess you are right, Slick.

Marcel looks back at the clock, and Blue quickly does the same with exaggerated movement.

Marcel: So, tell me, Blue, what qualifies you for a position in my organization?

Blue: Ha! Where do I even begin?

Marcel watches Blue, assuming the question was rhetorical, but begins to doubt himself.

Blue: Well, I know I’m fully qualified for this position, sir, because I have spent the last four years in isolation reading about business stuff.

Marcel: Four years?

Blue: No, business stuff.

Marcel is unsettled by the change of personality he has just witnessed. Is he being played again?

Marcel: Well, what did you learn about business in those four years?

Blue: I learned how to market. How to convince somebody that they need what you have. How to leave someone unsatisfied. You know? Wanting more. I learned how—

Marcel: Wait now hold on a second.

Blue: With all due respect, sir, I just don’t have the time.

Marcel expects Blue to continue, but again begins to doubt himself.

Marcel: You are quite the phenomenon Blue, maybe four years in isolation has driven you mad.

Blue stands up with a snarl, grabs the clock, and exits the room, slamming the door behind her. Marcel shakes his head as he retrieves his notepad from the drawer beneath his desk and begins to write:

“The road has been long and promises forever to grow longer. Upon first impressions, I knew Blue would be the savior of this organization. This campaign deeply needs a leader of her abilities. But I have failed. Again. I have concluded another interview with a slammed door and a stolen clock. Maybe Blue was right. Perhaps this campaign is built upon a foundation of trash. But where else is there to build! A man can spend his whole life searching! I am not a child anymore! Those years of searching are over! What else is a man to do?! Nothing?! Everyone else is building! What, you think I should just sit by and watch!?”

Lacking the right words, Marcel begins screaming at his journal. His worried coworkers begin gathering outside the door, listening in. Seeing the shadows of feet outside the door, Marcel begins laughing and invites them into the office. He tells them about how he just had the craziest interview with some loser who isolated herself for four years reading about “business stuff.”