By 9:30 that morning,

I have packed lunches for my two children and my husband, as well as, prepped dinner in the slow cooker. I have finished reading my book I started yesterday, and caught up on the news. The house is quiet, and I have nothing to do. I guess it is time to hit the pavement, metaphorically speaking. Now a days, applying for jobs is all done digitally. It takes hours to apply for one job, but the digital world makes everything easier. Right? It’s a full-time job applying for jobs, but here I go.

I log onto the computer and open a job search database. After a few moments, I find a posting.

HELP WANTED: ENGINEER

Okay. So far so good. After all, I have a Master’s degree in engineering.

REQUIREMENTS:
• 5+ years experience
• ADOBE program experience required
• Management experience preferred

Check, check, check.

• Pilot lessons preferred
• Interior design for airplane experience
• Must be an independent, team player willing to talk face-to-face with others
• Must possess a great sense of humor

What?!? What does that have to do with designing an airport terminal? Oh god, am I funny? Wait! Who cares!?! These qualifications are definitely skewed. No one meets all of these requirements. There is no way. I match with all the important ones. Here goes nothing.

Two hours later I finish completing the application, attach my resume, and push send. “Finally! That’s over,” I sigh with relief. Ding! I look up to find an email from the company I just applied. I click to open the email.

Dear applicant,
Thank you for your interest in the position of Engineer. Unfortunately you do not meet the minimum qualifications for the position. We encourage you to try again.
Sincerely,

Aaaahhh! I give up! I’m going to bed and get some sleep before I go out again tonight.

***

My shifts do not end most nights until almost dawn. In the city, the real drinking continues long after all the bars are closed. The moon is going down but it will still be about an hour before any color peaks out from the horizon. It is truly my favorite time of the entire day. It is both beautiful and peaceful.

I am going to wrap another unsuccessful night. I have to get the girls ready and off to school soon and no one at home knows about this part of my life. It’s easy to hide. My husband is a hard sleeper, and I get my rest while they are all out during the day. I spend part of it applying for jobs and the rest asleep.
I hear the distinct sound of broken glass in the distance. I still, to listen closer. Now boys, you may want to think about this decision first.” I run over just in time to see several men, probably, intoxicated, and they’re running away. I stop and suddenly a woman opens her stance towards me.

“You may want to follow in your friends’ footsteps before…” She stops mid-sentence seeing me, all decked out. “What the hell are you?”

This time it was my turn to stop and stare. Her stance was still open, and I see the hand facing the runaway drunks was a gun. In the hand thrusted in my direction I saw the glint of a rather unusually large knife.

“Oh honey,” she said, “were you coming to my rescue?” She does a fancy flip to close the knife, and it was gone before I even had enough time to register what had just happened.

“Thanks for the assist,” she continues, “but as you can see, I have got this handled. I am used to it with this job.” I look around and notice the rather large construction vehicle she was chaining to another large truck. “I discovered rather quickly this job took me to sketchy parts of town at horrible hours. So, I picked up a few things.” She smiled and turned back to what she was doing. “You can go now.” Dismissing me without another question about who I was. Still stunned, I leave her to it. Tonight was definitely a bust as far as the whole superhero thing goes, but it did make me question whether some type of training on how to fight with and against weapons should probably be on my to-do list. Just another thing to add to the parts of me that I am uncertain of. Could I really defend myself if I actually do finally find someone who needs protecting? I shake the thought out of my head for now, and I head home to get started on my other duties, getting my children ready for school.

To Be Continued…