The Phone Call

I've been in the business of applying for jobs lately. I put in an application with Hands To Art, Kootenai Coffee and Starbucks and now I'm about to put in an application for Twinlow Summer Camp.

I filled out the Twinlow application yesterday and then Prince Charming helped me fill out the rest today. Then I transfered it all over to a newly printed application for the BEST impression I could manage. I have filled out so many applications that my hand cramps at the sight of one. Okay, okay - that might not be completely true, but seriously. There's a lot of information I have given out in the past week and it's all handwritten! My fingers hurt just thinking about filling out another application.

But I am hoping to get this Twinlow Day Camp job because it's working with kids. Since I changed my major to Art Education, I think that working at a summer camp with kids will be a good experience. Besides that, I need a job and this sounds fun as well as something that is right up my alley.

So I emailed the camp director to see if the position I'd heard about was still available. I haven't heard back from him, but I'm thinking I will have by tomorrow morning. I could have been done after I emailed him - but Prince-y wasn't satisfied. He kept telling me that I should call because I would get a response faster.

And for those of you who know me - I have a serious fear of the phone. Like it's something that should be diagnosed. I'm not even kidding either. When I was 15 I had to call someone to make an appointment to take my skills test for my driver's lisence and I was so scared to call about it, that I would walk around the house with the phone in my hand trying to get the nerve to dial the number on the piece of paper in my other hand.

I avoid using the phone unless absolutely necessary or I've known the person for a better part of my life. And sometimes even that doesn't cut it.

But my point is that I HATE the telephone WITH A PASSION.

It's a bit ridiculous I know.

I'm even scared to call people who's JOB it is TO ANSWER A PHONE. It's just scary. Period.

My fingers tremble. My heart races. My breathing accellerates. I pray no one answers. I HOPE that I get an answering machine.

So this afternoon my boyfriend made me pick up the phone and call Twinlow. I cringed. I threw a six year old temper tantrum. I laid on the living room floor and didn't want to budge. I'm SURE Prince-y was REALLY RIDICULOUSLY IMPRESSED with my childish behavior.

He drug me downstairs and found the phone number for the camp on the internet.

I held my cell phone in my trembling hands and tried to not to hate him for what he was making me do. He wrote out what to say should someone pick up the phone. And it worked also if I got an answering machine. My stomach started to hurt. My temples felt like they were going to implode.

I dialed the number with an elevated pulse. Letting out shaky breaths, the phone began to ring. I closed my eyes and opened them again. Still ringing.

"Please be an answering machine," I said out loud. Prince Charming just smiled at me and gave a half laugh as I sat in my cold metal chair, bare feet propped up on the counter top. I could see the computer screen behind Prince and I mentally went over the words as the phone continued to ring my ear.

I took a deep breath to try and steady my frantic nerves. I have no idea what I'm so scared of calling places/people/other planets, but I so totally am. Terrified.

The answering machine picks up. I sigh a breath of relief and shift positions in my chair. I press one to leave a voicemail.

"Hi, my name is Cinderella and..." I read what Prince Charming had written on the computer and left my cell number so that they can get a hold of me tomorrow before I drop off my application if the position is still open. And then I hang up.

I feel sick to my stomach, but at least the phone call is over.

It's funny because when I was working on campus, I got semi-comfortable with answering the phone at the counter, but when I was working for my parents that was something I refused to do. It's just an ongoing battle - Cinderella vs. The Phone. Who knows who will win this war, but I'm just glad that I got that darn phone call over with.