Close Enough

I got up to the third floor by using a tiny stainless steel box of an elevator, and followed the signs through the dark hallway around to the left. As I rounded the corner I could see a new sign again saying "Suite 300" with an arrow pointing to the left and I started to think I was walking through a cork screw maze. Finally, after a mile of stained carpets and struggling fluorescent bulbs overhead, the door stood open before me, welcoming me inside.

I smiled at the receptionist and she said "You must be Steve." I let her know I was, and took a seat after being told it would be just a few moments before my interview would start. I looked around the room, thinking it could use some paint and a fake plant or two at the very minimum, but reminded myself that this is a small company and they're probably getting by on whatever they can. That's when I noticed the sign at the end of the receptionist's desk:

Welcome Stephanie Merryman!

I smiled to myself, and settled in to wait. After a couple of minutes, I got bored and thought I'd chat up the receptionist. She let me know that she had been there for a year and four months and really enjoyed the work there. She was eating leftovers from their Cinco de Mayo potluck the day before, and I could hear occasional crunching as her head dipped behind the high counter. The room smelled of the corn chips scattered on her paper plate.

After several moments of chit chat, Laurie, the receptionist said "Oh my goodness!" She stood, opened a drawer that contained little letters with tabs on the back of them, and started changing "Stephanie" to "Stephen". I continued to smile.