Screenwriter

In September, I went downtown to get a job.  I drove into a parking lot and got out of the car early for my interview.  As I passed the reception area, the person who met me wore a blue suit and looked abstracted.  He’d left his script in his typewriter.  Another job interview at five.  We toured the building:  studios, offices, stations.  “I write screenplays,” he said. 
  “I’m going to go to law school next year.”  The job interview was for a position that required writing.  I already had a degree.
I’d written before on the job, and I’d had months of legal writing.
  “Why do you work here,” I asked.  To support yourself at a regular job?”
  “Yes, but my work is in film production here anyway.  It’s useful.  I know people in the industry.”
I’d have the office down the hall.  When I went up to see it, the other employees weren’t in.  One of them, who hadn’t left for lunch, said “hello,” as we were introduced.  I waited around for the other people to show up.  They were at lunch.  While I waited, I looked at the office.  The walls were covered with notes and telephone numbers.
    “I call all of these people for a living.”
    “I don’t remember what the job title was, but I’m still working on my script.”  I think he used a computer to type on at times.  “I went to grad school in creative writing.” 
    “Was the degree useful?” I asked.
    “Sometimes it’s useful.  It depends on the program.  Sometimes it’s useful for getting jobs, but not always necessary.”  The person who shared the office walked in.  She was tall, blond vivacious.  I suspect she’d worked there for a long time.
    They both called people all day.
    They had to meet people, too.
I didn’t have to meet too many people; only review the videotapes and write margin lines and paragraphs on scripts.  We all had to wear suits.
Mostly suits.
The last person to arrive was the lawyer.  He may have only been visiting his office.
He asked about law school.  I’d said that I planned to start it the next year.  I’d worked before.  The lawyer said he’d tell me about the job sometime.  The employees knew that I’d only be there until I left for school.