Wednesday 22 December 2010

Hired! - Three Word Wednesday

Three Word Wednesday where you write something using the three prompt words.
This week's words are  ... Educate, Object and Silence.


The silence was unbearable ... as if someone had placed a huge clown in the centre of the room that everyone had made a secret pact not to mention ... and she was the clown. 
Frozen to the spot.
The sole object of everyone's attention.
Thoughts of running for the door played through her mind, or better yet, pretending to faint.
The smile she'd finished her presentation with was still unnaturally fixed on her face, her cheeks twitching and aching from the strain. 
It really had seemed like a good idea. 
Her plan had been to educate, inject a little humour and drive the point home leaving everyone with a laugh that would set her aside from the rest of the candidates. 
Simple. 
She couldn't help but remember her old boyfriends words.
"I love you ... but you can't tell a joke to save your life." 
The sentence echoed around her head. 
She'd been standing still with the fixed grin for so long that the blood had stopped circulating and her head began to swim. 
Panic was setting in. 
She couldn't think straight and before she knew it, she'd grabbed the cucumber and lunged for the assistant in charge and held it at his throat.
"Did you get what I was saying ... ay, ay!"
A rush of reality flooded over her as if she were floating above herself looking down. 
Time seemed to stop as she observed herself with the cucumber held near the mans neck.
What are doing, Jenny? The jokes gone too far now... FAINT... FAINT... for goodness sake just FAINT!, she thought ... but as she looked to the head of the company, she saw a tiny flicker at the corner of his mouth. 
She had nothing to lose.
She twisted the cucumber at a more threatening angle and eyed the head man directly. 
That was it. 
The flicker broke into a smile and the room finally collapsed into laughter.
"Okay, Miss Denning ... you can drop the weapon now, I think Mr. Hargreaves gets what you were saying."
The tension poured from her body and as her blood once again began to flow, she slowly regained her posture and tentatively placed the cucumber on the table.
"Umm ... well what did you think?"
"Well, Miss Denning, we were looking for someone to shake things up a bit, and you've certainly managed to do that to Mr. Hargreaves." 
The assistant didn't respond.
He just sat motionless, his attention still firmly fixed on the cucumber. 
Jenny shuffled uncomfortably at the sight of him, which simply served to make him jump and emit a small aah!
The head smiled and started to laugh again.
"...And all with just a cucumber ... that's it ..... you're hired!"

16 comments:

Jae Rose said...

Ooh yes that prickly moment - perfectly cpatured..so often it leads to disaster (never thought of feinting as an option! will remember that one)..I am glad the laugh came and she won the day! Jae

Rashmi said...

Wonderful..that too with a cucumber..ha ha..
You are simply great..

Monica Manning said...

That was fun! Love the twist ending.

Unknown said...

From first line, I was compelled to continue the read. Well constructed!

Susannah said...

I love how you described her feelings and thoughts as she stood there, so well observed.

Nice use of the three words, so seamless I didn't notice you using them.

Lilibeth said...

Who would have thought...

Anonymous said...

Ah, that unbearable feeling of flop sweat at the interview... the salt water trickling down your front and collecting in your bra... not that I've ever had such a moment, LOL. My LIFE is that moment. The cucumber was a fantastic touch!

Amy BL.
http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2010/12/23/control-questioning-authority-three-wd-weds/

eyeography said...

This is a brilliant write..
that too with a cucumber.. :D

Deborah said...

Thank you all for stopping by and for your comments, they're much appreciated x

Ramesh Sood said...

What fun.. good write..

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

lovely..

Anonymous said...

Truly novel! :)

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year
I enjoy reading your posts ,its like each word is felt within ,very amazing feeling



http://soulwanderingsoul.blogspot.com/

Deborah said...

Thank you Betcha ... and a Happy New Year to you too :o)

Melissa Sugar said...

Well done. I really liked the twst at the end. The cucumber added a spark of unique humor.

Deborah said...

Thank you SugarScribes x :o)