Monday
I hardly slept the night before because of my excitement. It's unlike me to be so indecisive about my wardrobe; I stood there for a solid ten minutes before deciding on a blue button up shirt which I tucked inside my black jeans. My morning appetite had gone because of nerves so I settled on a morning cigarette and tea.
Today was my first day and I didn't know what to expect. It seems like this was a long time coming. I applied to this program months ago and now I'm finally here. There's no telling if it'll be worth it and if I'll like it here but I had to remind myself that if I didn't like it here, I could always go back.
Once I was ready to leave, I leant against the wall to put my boots on and stepped out the door. I was quite early having skipped breakfast but I knew staying in my flat wouldn't do me any good. Having walked to work from my flat a few times, I knew the way and took my time, observing what life was like in Seattle. The roads were alive with cars and buses and there were people in a rush to go to work. However, if you slowed down enough, you could see two friends greeting each other, someone eating breakfast on the go, and someone telling the bus driver to wait as there's one more person coming. There were more people here than where I previously lived so the idea of making friends was daunting. I'm more of an extrovert but I do have my introverted tendencies.
Eventually, I made it to the building and waited in the lobby. I was to call them when I arrived but I was early so I found a place to sit. Based on what I've seen for five minutes, this looked like a building shared by several companies. Some people were dressed neatly while others were dressed more casually and the work badges were different. I looked down at my attire and wondered if I was dressed appropriately. How can you feel overdressed and underdressed at the same time?
As soon as it neared 8:30 AM, I called the number they gave me saying today was my first day. They sent someone down to get me so I waited. The nice thing was that most people were headed to work so it was easy spotting who they sent to get me. After a few minutes, I saw a young man around my age walk out. He was wearing a cap to tame his curly hair and walked out into the lobby to have a look around. To save him the trouble, I stood up and walked towards him.
"Hi, I'm Van. Are you from DecodeREM?" I asked, holding out my hand for him to shake. He shook my hand cautiously and I wondered if my hands were sweaty. I wiped my hand surreptitiously on my jeans while he stared at me.
"I haven't heard that accent in a while," he said, grinning. I immediately recognized his Geordie accent which was fading from having lived here a while. "The name's Bondy, by the way. Let's go on up." We walked towards the lift and he pressed the button to go up.
"What brought you out here?" I asked.
"Probably the same reason you're here. I came for work and liked it here so I stayed."
"How long have you been here?" It wasn't clear if I was asking how long he's been living in the States or how long he's been working here. My hope was that he'd answer both.
"I've been in Seattle and at this company over a year now. I actually submitted my two weeks' notice today."
"What?" I asked and Bondy's eyes widened. He probably regrets telling me.
"I love it here and learned loads. I wasn't planning on leaving but someone approached me asking if I wanted to work for them. They're a startup in this same building but on a different floor."
"That's great. Congratulations." The lift arrived and we walked in, along with several other people. "What will you be doing?" I kept my voice low, aware that there were others in the lift but it doesn't seem like it's anyone Bondy knows.
"I'm still working on dreams but the technology is better, newer, and the work is more interesting. I'd tell you more but I don't quite understand it myself," he said, chuckling.
I've only known Bondy for five minutes and I wasn't sure what to make of him. He seems nice but eager to start his new job. I'm sure he meant no harm by what he said. He did say he didn't think to leave but it's not the greatest feeling in the world starting a new job and finding out someone's leaving. It only added to the uncertainty.
The both of us got off on the sixth floor and Bondy scanned his badge in order to open the door. He greeted the man at the front desk and walked to the right down a hallway full of offices and conference rooms. He later stopped in front of Andrew Katz's office whom I instantly recognized as one of the people who interviewed me. Who is he again? I interviewed with so many people, I've lost track of all the names and it doesn't help when Andrew's title isn't printed on the name plate.
"Andrew will help you get started. I'll see you around."
Bondy waved and walked back to where we came from. I wished he'd stay to keep me company but I've got to get used to not having him around. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door and waited. There were footsteps on the other side and the door opened.
"Hello Van. It's nice to finally meet you in person. Have a seat." He held the door open and gestured towards the open seat. I walked in and he closed the door behind me.
-
My first day was quite uneventful. Andrew met with me for about an hour to help me get set up and then I was set free to do some reading. When I graduated, I swore I'd never read again and look at me now. Luckily I still had my good study habits so I took notes on important things to remember. It wasn't clear to me what we had to commit to memory but I figured I'd remember it with time and practice. An hour before lunch, someone sat on my desk and I looked up to see Bondy drinking his tea.
"How's the training coming along?" he asked, smirking. He's been through it before so he knows the content is drier than the Sahara Desert. To stop myself from falling asleep, I had to go to the break room and toilets.
"Erm...it's very...dense," I replied, looking around to see if anyone was listening. I've not known him long enough to know if he'll give me trouble or if he's trying to be nice. Most people keep to themselves but Bondy likes to hang around.
"Why don't I give you a tour? You look as if you're gonna fall asleep," he teased and my eyes widened.
"I'm not sleeping!" I corrected him, making sure the people around me could hear. "And Andrew gave me a tour earlier." There wasn't much to see. All I needed to know was where the lunch room, break room, and toilets were. I could figure out the rest later.
"I was talking about the building, not the office. I think it'd be good for you to know where everything is."
"Are we gonna get in trouble?"
"No. Andrew loves me. Consider this part of your new employee onboarding. Now get off your arse. Let's go!"
Figuring I had nothing to lose, I got up and followed Bondy past the front desk and out the door. He pressed the button to go down and when the lift arrived, he pressed the button for the fourth floor. When the doors opened, he walked out and gestured to the whole floor.
"This is where I'm gonna be," he explained. "If you fancy going for lunch someday, I'm here on the fourth floor."
Bondy called for the lift again and this time, we were going down to the lobby. I wasn't sure what he was doing because we stepped out of the building into the street. What is there to show me outside? Bondy went to his right and it wasn't until we passed a little garden that he took out his cigarettes. He placed a fag in his mouth and lit it.
"D'ya smoke?" he asked, offering me a cigarette. I've been so nervous and busy reading that I forgot about smoking. I took a cigarette and Bondy lit it for me.
"Thanks," I muttered.
"This is my favorite spot to have a cigarette," he said. "During the spring, these flowers bloom, making it feel like you're not in the city."
I nodded my head, not sure why he was telling me this. I'm not too picky about where I smoke, as long as I'm left alone and I'm not a bother to anyone. Maybe he was telling me this so we can find each other once he's gone. He already told me what floor he'll be working on and he told me his favorite spot to smoke. It was like he wanted me to find him. Even though we just met, he seems to like me which I'll take.
After smoking, we made our way back to the lifts and this time, he pressed the button for the eleventh floor. Noticing my confusion, he went on to elaborate.
"There used to be a company that rented out the eleventh floor but it's sat empty for years now. The furniture is still there and everything's unlocked. If you've got stuff to do or need a quiet place for a nap, this is the place to go," he explained.
"How'd you find this place?" I asked, curious. I wouldn't dare explore the other floors except for the second floor which contains the cafeteria.
"I like to explore in my free time. How else would you find all these places?" He's got a point. He's been here over a year now so he no doubt knows where the best places to eat are and where the nicest bathrooms are. Stuff like that comes in handy.
We arrived on the eleventh floor and I was expecting it to be unkept but surprisingly, it looked nice and was tidy. There was one other person making a phone call who looked up when we arrived. He paid us no attention and continued on. I was expecting it to just be the two of us but I shouldn't be surprised there are others who know about this floor as well. It was like the whole building knew about it and it was their little secret. Bondy walked down the hallway which led to an open area with plush sofas. He sat down and smiled.
"These couches are great for sleeping," he told me. "It's by the window and the sun shines through making you all warm and toasty. Now I know why animals like to sit in the sun."
"So if I'm looking for you one day, I reckon you'll be up here sleeping," I teased.
"They're not arsed about where you are every minute of the day. They value work-life balance here. As long as the work's done, they're happy."
I was relieved he said that because I've done some research on the work culture in America versus the UK and had read some things that worried me. I've read that Americans have longer work hours and less holiday time. However, they do make more money and that was what attracted me in the first place. I was willing to work hard and use that experience to my advantage.
It was now noon so Bondy brought me back to the office saying he'd leave me alone for the rest of the day. Some part of me was hoping he'd invite me to lunch so we could continue our conversation but I didn't want to be a bother. He probably has work to do as well.
To be honest, Bondy made my first day at work great and I looked forward to getting to know him despite knowing he wouldn't be here long. And I couldn't wait to get off work so I could tell Clara all about him.