Volume 11: Part 1- Moenia Prima: Tuesday, July 26th, 2:12 P.M.

Tuesday, July 26th, 2:12 P.M.

Today I have an interview at one of the prospects I received from the job placement center.  The interview is at Kluckles, a fast food place in a verbrecher part of town.  A fast food place.  That's what I've been reduced to.  Fuck.

I left early so I could swing by Valerie's place and spy on her again.  I know that I shouldn't be using my osher skills in this manner, and that I should be really ashamed at myself for doing so, but fuck it.  I'm broke, unemployed, and without a girlfriend right now.  Non of that excuses what I'm doing, but fuck it.

Anyway, after Valerie had finished dressing, I started making my way over to the bus stop just down the road a piece.  With visions of this absolutely stunning woman still playing in my head, somebody tapped me on the shoulder as I waited at the bus stop.  "Hi Hato.  How are you doing?"  It was Valerie and I thought I was toast.

"I'm doing well Miss Membantu.  How are you?"

"I'm swell, but please, call me Valerie."  Valerie's use of the word swell was particularly apt at that moment.  I was trying desperately to shift my mind away from Valerie's toned and taught body to something I did not find erotic.  "So, off to the salt mines, are you?"

"I wish.  No, I'm off to a job interview."  The thought of my ongoing job hunt did the trick in making my swelling go down.

"Who are you interviewing for?"

"Kluckles."

Valerie got this disgusted look on her face.  "Kluckles?  You mean that fast food joint that advertises that they serve chicken, but actually serves a mixture of donkey meat, turkey innards, and bovine penises?"  I have no idea why my swelling returned at that moment.

"Yeah, that's it, although I had no idea they served cow dick.  Where did you hear that?"

"ON VBNS.  Have you tried looking for a job at the job placement center by the opfer cultural center?"

"I did, and this is the best they can get me."

Valerie looked disappointed.  "Oh, that's not good to hear."  Valerie reached forward and touched my arm.  Her skin is softer than I imagine it to be.  "Listen, I have some pull with the school district.  I'll see if there are any open positions you can fill."  What Valerie said made me feel good, and not just because she said open positions.  Valerie broke her touch with me just at the bus pulled up.  "Is this bus yours?"

It was my bus but I knew it would have been awkward to continue to talk with Valerie and ride the bus with her while I was still swelling.  "No, I'm waiting for the-"  I looked at the sign, hoping to find another bus that stopped at that stop.  Thankfully, there was one  "-the forty-four."

"Well, allright then.  It was nice talking with you.  Hope I see you again."

"Same here Miss Membantu."

"Valerie."

As the bus slowly drove off, I began to regret all the times that I had spied on Valerie.  I regretted it because I think I'm starting to develop a friendship with Valerie, and it's hard to be friends with someone you've secretly seen naked.  Also, my spying had driven me to skip the bus that I actually was waiting for, the bus I needed to take to arrive at the job interview on time.  This is when I started to run.  Running to a job interview that I ended up missing.

Damn it.

Hato Shurtleff