08/26/2007

Twentysomething

Home is where the job is

By Danielle Killgore
Local columnist
danielle.killgore@
gmail.com

Read past TWENTYsomething columns here

Recently, I was transferred into a new market for our company. Change is exciting, but I really haven't had a "home” in the past four months.

As I found a new place to live, it occurred to me that I had a slight problem: no furniture. My apartment in college was furnished and came with two local friends who kindly provided anything we lacked. Now I have a house with two options: stand or lay.

I realized this was not good for potential house gatherings: "Hey, come on over but bring your sofa. Thanks!”

After work one evening my boss called me. "How's it going?”

"Oh fine, you know, just sitting on my bed, doing some market reports,” I responded.

He laughed, knowing about my insufficient furnishings. He said he was flying down for the day and needed me to pick him up from the airport at 10:30 a.m. He wanted to make sure I was doing OK and follow up with a few questions I had. No big deal.

It's about 45 minutes to the airport, so I left with plenty of time and arrived a few minutes early. He called, "My flight is delayed.” Okie-dokie. I thought about my options: Try to find somewhere to sit for 30 minutes, park or keep circling, and chose the last one.

As I circled 47 times, it became kind of a game. I don't know if you've ever done this but I began to notice the security guards in the terminal beginning to look at me when I passed by — like who is that girl and why has she been driving in a circle for 30 minutes? I wanted to stop because it got old fast, but pausing too long in the terminal can cause havoc with security. Immediately they bombard your car and make you resume motion.

As I circled around the last time, my boss called: "I'm here. Meet me outside.” And I wanted to, but now I had a tiny problem.

I got a flat tire. Of course I did. That's what I get for playing games with the security guards.

My boss called again, "Where are you?”

"Umm, well I'm in this parking lot right outside the terminal. I have a flat tire.”

"You're kidding.”

"Uh. No.”

So the day was altered since he had to change a tire in 98-degree heat while wearing a suit. Still, it was a productive day, nonetheless.

Later, while I was taking him back to the airport, he said, "Other than what we talked about today, how do you like it here? Do you still not have any furniture?”

He laughed. Hilarious, I know. And trust me, I laugh.

And I try to be practical about what I want to buy and how long I'm going to be here. But really, when else in your life could you live like this? Probably never. I dropped him off and headed back to my spacious abode.

Just another day trying to get acquainted with the world.

Danielle Killgore grew up in Traverse City and is a 2002 graduate of Traverse City Central High School. Newly graduated with a bachelor's degree in communication from Columbia College in Columbia, S. C., she is working as a sales consultant for a Web-based data acquisition company. She will write occasionally for the Record-Eagle Twentysomething column. She can be reached care of the Record-Eagle or at danielle.killgore@gmail.com. The Record-Eagle pays for essays published in Twentysomething. Submissions can be emailed to kgibbons@record-eagle.com, or mailed to: Twentysomething, Traverse City Record-Eagle, 120 W. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49685, or faxed to (231) 946-8632.