Offer

I jerk back a bit in surprise. My what? How? What? R-right, yeah, I guess this is what this was about? I didn’t know where this was going but yeah? Sure? I guess that makes sense. But...me? Here? God, the way she’s looking at me is throwing me off. What is she trying to SAY with that?

“Sorry,” Doña Pantalla chuckles, falling back in her seat. “I probably shouldn’t have tested you that way. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I invited you here. I figured I’d at least get to know you, but finding someone that appreciates anomalies is so unusual that I had to. Hold on a minute.” She gets up from the table and opens the door we came in. “Araceli, could you bring in the paperwork?” she calls out. “You should probably know what I’m offering before you respond, anyway,” she says to me. Araceli hands over a small stack of papers, and Doña Pantalla places the stack in front of me. “Go ahead and go over it, and let me know if you have any questions.” she sits down and has another sip of her coffee.

“Anomalies?” I ask.

“Yes, that’s what we call them.

I start thumbing through the document. ...Oh wow. I go over it some more. No, this can’t be right. I look through it some more to make sure I understand it right. Several times what I’m getting paid now, benefits, PTO, sick leave...all medical expenses covered? What am I getting myself into? I try to put on my most professional voice and clear my throat.

“So, what exactly am I doing in this job? Nothing illegal, I hope? These terms are uh, pretty generous.”

Doña Pantalla gives a hearty laugh. “Haha, no no, it’s all legal, I assure you. It’s just I have a lot of clients, and what we do here is very hard to get right. Laura does pretty well for herself too, you know? Although the kind of work she takes is a bit different from mine. We’re mechanics, repairmen, therapists, hackers, or mathmagicians, depending on who you ask. You’ve already been doing the work. The coffee machine, the fridge, the car, you’ve been helping Anomalies everywhere. Seems like you have a passion for it that matches mine, and I wanted to offer you the opportunity to get paid for it, and be able to do it full time. With training, of course.”

I’m honestly overwhelmed. Speechless. This has to be a lie. A deceit. A trap. For what, I couldn’t fathom. As much as I want to say what she’s saying is nonsense, it’s hard to break the statement that people need things fixed. And fixing things is really, really hard these days. Still. Looks to good to be true.

Doña Pantalla leans back slowly into her chair. “I can see you have a lot on your mind. Give it some thought. I’ll call you in a few days to see how you’re doing. The offer won’t be going anywhere unless you decide to reject it. Take the papers with you, although I will ask that you not share the details with anyone, unless you’re looking for legal review from a professional.” She slaps her knees and moves to stand up. “Well, I’ve taken quite enough of your time as it is. Araceli, would you be so kind so as to escort Ramicia back to her house?”

“Of course, Doña Pantalla,” Araceli bows.

Doña Pantalla looks back at me and smiles wide. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ramicia. I hope to see you again.”

Before I know it, I’m back on the road again, cycling with Araceli back home. My head is noisy, my mind is static. I really need to sleep...and hope this isn’t a dream.