L.A. Woman Read Online Free PDF

dressed….”
    Something tugged at Sarah’s hangover-fogged consciousness. A very faint light went on. “Wait a minute. You mean, I’m living in the…”
    “Gay district,” Judith said, nodding. “I thought everybody knew.”
    “Oh.” Sarah blinked.
    Benjamin wasn’t going to be thrilled about this. She could just tell.
     
    Just get the job, Sarah.
    Sarah stood in Becky Weisel’s office, in the ad agency where Judith worked, albeit on a higher floor. It was a corner office, the kind that looked out over the city, with glass windows rather than walls. She had a full cherry-wood desk set, complete with credenza and bookshelves. Sarah could see little placards and inspirational quotes engraved on chotchke. Sarah waited while Becky finished the phone call, holding her portfolio awkwardly in front of her like a high school student.
    She hated the interview process. Still, as Benjamin pointed out, those bills weren’t going to be paying themselves.
    And I don’t need him to pay them for me.
    Becky impatiently motioned her to take a chair, which she did.
    “John, I didn’t ask for the numbers for first quarter sales to be on my desk by Monday. I asked you to get them to me today. ” Becky paused slightly. “That was this morning, John. You don’t need to whine at me, I know what the time difference is. Just do it, okay?” She sighed, obviously listening to whoever was on the other end of the phone. “Listen, would you rather deal with Stefan? I can patch him over the next time he calls to chew my ass out.” She waited again, then smiled smugly. “Great. I’ll look forward to seeing them tonight.”
    She hung up the phone, then looked at Sarah, as if trying to reorient herself. “Right. Who are you, and why are you here?”
    Before Sarah could answer, Becky snapped her fingers. “Oh, right. You must be…let’s see…Sarah.” She reached across the desk, shaking Sarah’s hand with a firmness that bordered on painful. “I’m Becky Weisel. I’m one of the Account Supervisors here at Salamanca Advertising.”
    She leaned back against her leather seat, surveying Sarah.Sarah sat up straighter, trying to make the best impression possible. It was Let’s Make A Deal. She was doing everything except holding a sign that said “Hire me! Hire me!”
    Sarah smiled at the thought. The friendly gesture seemed to give Becky pause.
    “So…why do you want to work at Salamanca Advertising?”
    Because I like paying my rent. “I’ve read it’s a great firm, really up-and-coming, with cutting-edge advertising and a lot of high-tech clients…” At least, that’s what the Web site had mentioned. Sarah had had only a few minutes to go over it prior to the interview.
    Becky smiled. “Done your homework. Like that. And friendly. That always helps.”
    “Thank you.”
    “And polite.” Becky looked like she was buying a car. Sarah hoped she wasn’t going to kick her tires, as it were—or check her teeth, to mix metaphors. “All right. You’re better than most of the applicants I’ve seen, I’ve got to tell you that.” She glanced down at the copy of the résumé Sarah had faxed to her. She made a few inarticulate noises of acknowledgment. Sarah sat quietly. “Hmm. P.R…. and some education…kind of all over the place, aren’t you?”
    Sarah felt her stomach drop a little. “I’m still narrowing my focus,” she explained. “I have a lot of interests…”
    “How old are you?”
    Sarah blinked. That was an illegal question—this woman ought to know that.
    Becky’s smile turned crafty. “You don’t mind me asking that, do you?”
    Sarah felt stunned, but found herself shaking her head slowly. “No, of course not,” she said, thinking about her bank account…the way the savings number slowly decreased. Rent was coming due soon. “I’m twenty-five.”
    “That’s not so old,” Becky said dubiously, then laughed.“You’ve got plenty of time, I guess. And maybe advertising is just what you’ve