The Worst Interview in the World

Okay, I know I said this blog would be all about IVF but I'm making an exception for this story.  It's a part of the journey I couldn't forget, even if I wanted to.  I promise everything I'm about to write is totally true even if I can't even believe it's true because it's so unbelievable.  Now that I've talked it up enough...

So my interview was scheduled for 10:30.  I left my house in plenty of time but I realized shortly after I left that I forgot my phone at home.  I decided I didn't have time to go back and it's not like I needed my phone for anything anyways.  I got there around 10:25 and started walking in (to be early is to be on time!).  As I'm crossing the parking lot I see a familiar car out front.  OH CRAP.  It's my boss's car.  Maybe it isn't though.  There's really no reason for him to be at this Starbucks because it's not close to either of our offices.  I walk around to the front of the car and look in the front window and sure enough, I see his dog accessories in the back seat.  He is definitely inside the Starbucks.

I start freaking out.  I mean stuff like this only happens in movies right?  You show up to an interview and your current boss, who obviously doesn't know you're interviewing for a new job, is randomly in this specific place at this specific time.  And while I wasn't planning on leaving Foot & Ankle for Starbucks, I didn't want to have to explain what all was happening.

Time is ticking by and I just keep willing him with my mind to walk out of the store so I can walk in, say a friendly hello, and he'll never be any the wiser.  It doesn't happen.  I don't have my phone so I can't call Nate for advice.  I can't call the manager and fake car problems making me late to the interview or a car accident making me have to reschedule all together.  The only thing I can do is hope the doc almost has his coffee and will walk out as I walk in.

Sadly, that was not the case.

I walk into the store and not only is he in there, he's sitting at a table having a meeting with the office manager and billing manager!  They are definitely not leaving anytime soon.  I'm freaking out times a million.

I say hello to them and walk to the counter and say "Hey, I'm here to see Charlie."  They tell me to have a seat at a table and wait for him.  The only open table is two over from their meeting, and Starbucks tables are tiny.  There's no more than 12 feet between us.  I think to myself "what are the odds that I'm sitting here for an interview mere feet from my current bosses and they can hear the entire thing?!"

I decided it would be better to just go tell them the truth while I was waiting for the manager to start the interview.  I walked over to their table but it was just the office managers as the doc had stepped away for a phone call.  I'm like "heyyyyyy....sooooo I'm here for an interview..." ...awkward....

Their faces showed a little bit of shock.  I followed quickly with "I'm not planning on leaving you guys, this is just a part-time thing for the insurance."  They were super understanding and I felt a little not as awkward.  A little.

Well Charlie finally comes out and decides to bring me to the back of the store for the interview.  The same back of the store where the doctor is still on a phone call.  He sits me down not 5 feet from the doctor (with my back to him) and starts the interview!  I wanted to DIE!!!  His first question... "So I see you work at Food & Ankle Associates?"  I'm like "yessssss" super awkwardly because I can feel the docs eyes boring into the back of my head, wondering what the HECK I'm doing in an interview at Starbucks of all places.

I could just feel the doc listening to everything I was saying.  I was trying to talk quiet.  I couldn't think straight.  None of my answers seemed coherent.  I had not just the interviewers analyzing everything I'm saying, but him too!  I wish I could convey how terrible of an experience this was.  It was like an out of body experience.  Thankfully, after a few minutes he finally went back to his meeting where I'm sure the managers filled him in on what was going on.  I was still so shook and did not feel like myself at all during the interview.

After he left, I did tell the interviewers who he was but I wasn't sure if they totally grasped how awkward the situation was.  It was so bad.

At the end of the interview I gathered my things, walked straight past them, said goodbye and exited.  The entire ride home I talked to myself saying "WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?!  IS MY LIFE A MOVIE?!  DOES THIS EVEN HAPPEN IN MOVIES?!  HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN TO ME?!  WHAT IS MY LIFE?!"  I hated not being able to call Nate!  Definitely the worst interview experience in the world.