It's been a long shift. My legs feel like jello from all the standing. Only forty-five minutes to go, and then I'm off for the weekend. I grind hard through the remaining customers, handling the cashier register of the bagel shop I work at. The employees and I are all wearing masks for COVID, and the hot summer sun seeps in through the back door. We've had a great day in terms of sales. The company is doing really well for itself, and we're all proud of the fact we've come so far. We've made a great comeback from the virus, but still have work to do.

          It's then a young woman, probably in her early to mid-twenties, walks in, ignoring the social distancing rules already. If I can think of one word to describe her, at least from a first impression standpoint, it would be "pompous." She flicks her wavy hair as she approaches the cashier. Her hips sway side to side, as her leather purse rests over her shoulder. She reveals a set of sparkling eyes behind those expensive sunglasses, along with a row of flashing white teeth—yet a smile so fake that even a blind person could see through.

          "Hello," she says. "I'd like to apply for a job."

          "Okay. Let me get my manager." I make my way to the back of the shop, where I see my boss, Armani, sitting at his computer.

          "Boss," I say, causing him to turn. "Are we still hiring?" 

          He nods.

          "Alright. Well, we got someone trying to apply upfront."

          He stands up from his chair and makes his way to the cashier; I follow behind.

          "Hello," he says to the girl in his thick accent. "Do you have a resume?"

          She flashes that gorgeous, yet artificial smile of hers again, reaching into her purse. She pulls out a copy and hands it to him with utmost confidence. My boss takes a look as the girl admires her nails, which have obviously just been done. Innocently, my curiosity gets the better of me, and I discreetly look over his shoulder to read what she put down. But I can't believe what I'm staring at. I have to blink a few times to make sure I'm not seeing things. My boss even flips the page over, just to make sure if there's a mistake, but the message is clear.

          All it says, in cursive writing, on a blank piece of paper, is: I was popular in high school.

          My boss looks at her with a confused expression, before shrugging his shoulders and saying, "I don't get it."

          The young woman's smile slowly and dramatically drops, like something out of a movie.

          "What do you mean you don't get it?" she asks, as if he's supposed to understand the joke.

          "I don't get it," he repeats, pointing to the sheet of paper. "What is this?"

          She looks at him dumbfounded. "It's my resume?"

          "But what does this tell me about your past work experience? Or anything about you as a person and why I should hire you?"

          "Well, that's all you need to know about me," she claps back, almost getting defensive now.

          "That you were popular in high school?"

          She nods again.

          My boss is just as bewildered as I am.

          "I'm sorry, ma'am," he says, handing her back the piece of paper. "But I cannot accept this."

          She places a hand on her hip and gives a repulsed expression. "Excuse me? What did you just say?"

          "I said I can't accept this. Plain and simple."

          The girl shakes her head in disbelief. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" She begins listing off her achievements with her fingers. "I was the leader of the cheer team, I was flocked upon by the cutest guys, I was voted most popular my senior year. I was the QUEEN BEE. I was the one you went to if you needed alcohol, I made sure everyone had—"

          "Yes, I bet you did ma'am, but this doesn't show me any proof that you are capable and committed to working for me. Again, I'm sorry."

          There's a moment of awkward silence, before she snatches the paper out of his hand and says, "Fine. I'll just have to go somewhere else, won't I?"

          My boss nods again. "I'm afraid so."

          After giving another evil glare, she exits the shop, everyone watching. She even goes as far as telling a customer in the lineup not to buy here, but he just laughs, as he overheard the entire conversation. My boss and I look at each other puzzled, before everything gradually goes back to normal, and he returns to the back of the shop. What a bizarre encounter; one like I've never experienced. 

          Huh. 

          Well, I guess we all learned something today.

          Maybe I shouldn't have worried so much back then after all.