Again, But Better(21)

When we’re dismissed, I run off to catch the Tube to Covent Garden for my interview. My legs nervously jiggle up and down as I watch the stops blur through the windows.

I’m a couple minutes early when I step up to the tall white building matching the address for Packed! The first level is a coffee shop, which makes things a little confusing. I wander around the side of the structure until I find another door. This one is outfitted with a buzzer and a little silver plaque above it that reads PACKED! FOR TRAVEL! It’s on the second floor. I reach up and press the button.

“Hello?” a voice asks through the speaker.

“Hi. I’m Shane Primaveri. Here for an interview?”

A loud buzz makes me jump back a foot. The door in front of me unlatches. I pull it open and ascend the stairs. At the top of the steps is a white door with a frosted circular window decorated with the Packed! For Travel! logo.

I let loose a practically inaudible whoa as I step inside the office. A smile itches at my lips. The room is shiny, white, and modern. The walls are lined with gorgeous poster-sized photographs of cities all around the world. My eyes quickly locate New York among them. A pang of pride runs through me. I bring my attention to the half-moon silvery-white receptionist desk before me. A pale, tiny, twenty-something woman with freckles and a strawberry-blond bob looks up at me.

“Hello!” She has a heavy Irish accent.

“Hi! I’m Shane Primaveri. I’m here for an interview with Wendy.” I shuffle my feet together.

The receptionist introduces herself as Tracey. I take a seat in a modern-looking silver chair adjacent to the door while Tracey goes to fetch Wendy. I watch as she scurries across the floor to the opposite wall and carefully opens a glass door to what must be Wendy’s office. The center of the open space is littered with silver desks, big high-def computer monitors, and youngish employees. Tracey turns toward me, and I quickly drop my gaze back to my lap.

“Shane?”

I look up again to find a tall woman with long, straight, dark hair and golden-brown skin. She’s wearing high-waisted black slacks and an orange blazer. She looks like a model.

“Hi!” I jump out of my seat as the woman extends her arm for a handshake.

“Hi, I’m Wendy! I run things around here. Great to meet you. Let’s talk!”

I follow Wendy into her office. She has an enormous, sleek glass desk. I timidly seat myself in one of the two silver chairs in front of it. A whole corner of the desk is covered with tiny trinket versions of iconic landmarks: a pyramid, the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, the Statue of Liberty, the London Eye.

“Give me a little rundown about you, Shane. We’re excited to hopefully have you interning here these next few months.”

I press my hands against my knees, forcing them into stillness. “Um, well, I, I’m studying abroad, and I’m doing the writing program. I love reading, writing, telling stories. I’d love to work as a writer someday. And I have some interest in photography … Um, I have a blog! I post my pieces there sometimes, and I’m turning it into a study-abroad blog for these next few months.”

“That’s great!” She smiles at me. It makes me feel better. I grin back. “Well, here at Packed! we’re currently working on expanding our online repertoire. I don’t know if you’ve checked out our website—”

“I have! I love it!”

She laughs. “Then you’ve seen our city guides.”

I have. They have travel guides for cities all over the world, the best places to stay, the best tourist spots to hit, where to eat, where to go out. It’s great.

“So, we’re working on expanding that series and adding some more exotic places. We’re also always looking to add new series and points of view. Maybe as a final project here, you could even do a piece for us? We can work together on A Guide to Studying Abroad in London? I think study abroad guides could bring in a whole new demographic.”

I choke on air for a second. Me? Do a piece? For their real-life magazine? It’s a struggle not to gasp. “I … I’d love that. That sounds amazing!”

“Good!” She smiles at me again. “Have you done much traveling?”

“Um, not yet. Well, I traveled here, but I want to travel more. I’m actually going to Rome this weekend,” I blurt excitedly.

“Fantastic! You’re going to love it!” She shrugs enthusiastically, while still managing to look sophisticated. “We’re a laid-back group here. We all love traveling, so if you ever want any recommendations or tips, don’t hesitate to talk to us. While you’re here, I hope you learn a lot! Tracey will be your go-to gal for questions, and she’ll introduce you to the staff on your first day. We’re looking forward to having you.”

“Thank you so much!”

She stands and shakes my hand again. That was it? I’m going to work at a travel magazine!





10. Rome Ma-Ma



Our seats end up being scattered throughout the plane. Babe’s in the window seat directly behind me. Sahra’s a couple of rows up. Pilot’s a few rows back, across the way in a middle seat. There’s a drunk couple sitting next to me who keep trying to pull me into their conversation. I laugh feebly at their jokes and then go back to reading Shadow Kiss or staring out the window. Every so often, I sit on my foot and twist around to check on everyone. Babe isn’t a constant reader, but she’s currently working on I Am Number Four because the movie’s coming out soon. I should give her a list of book recommendations for when she finishes. Maybe I can convert her to constant reader-hood. Pilot’s ordering a bloody mary because drinks are complimentary on this flight (as has been made glaringly obvious by the couple in my row). I can’t quite see anything other than the tip of Sahra’s head. She’s probably reading an intellectual book. I spotted something nonfiction sticking out of her bag earlier.