佚名/Anonymous
The job of a lifetime, that's what it was, secretary for the district attorney. I couldn't wait for my interview. This was the kind of position I'd dreamed of, what all those years of college and entry-level positions were for.
The night before my interview, I spent two hours going through my closet to pick out just the right outfit. What would I say to him? I cuffed up into my pillowy bed and stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. How should I act? Nervous, I shut my eyes and tried to get some rest, but I kept tossing and turning.
Finally, the alarm clock woke me. I tried to open my eyes, but something was wrong. My face felt stiff, strange. My hands flew to my cheeks.“No!” My lips were unable to open all the way. I ran to the bathroom and looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, horrified. My face was contorted like a stroke victim's. My eyes were misaligned. I couldn't move the right side of my face. I could barely recognize myself. What was happening to me? What nightmare did I wake up into?
My mother came into the room,“What's wrong?” Her eyes bulged as she withdrew in terror.“What's happening to me?” I slurred to her.“I'll take you to the emergency room,” she finally gasped. We were rushed in. The nurse took one look at me and called in a specialist. There, under the blazing white lights, my mother and I waited.
After several hours of tests, the doctor finally explained,“You have Bell's pal. It is a condition in which your face muscles tighten because of stress. You need to get plenty of sleep, and in a few days your face will return to normal.”“But I have a job interview this afternoon,” I sadly remembered.“I'm sorry,” the doctor said, concerned.“You should reschedule, maybe for later in the week.”
During the long car ride home, all I could think about was how bad it would look to reschedule. Certainly, that would dampen my chances. Nobody reschedules with the district attorney. All the other applicants would have the advantage then, I concluded.