Interview and beyond.

**The Manhattan Chronicles**

Okay, so probably the best interview I've ever had! I don't think that's any credit to myself. It would actually take VERY little to surpass my horrible interview track record. Yuck. I stink at interviews.

But today I just "played a part." My character was focused, while still sweet, qualified, and perky. It made for a lovely interview. The real me should never go on interviews. The me who can act should always go.The head of pediatrics and the head of adult rehabilitation were both there. It was just over forty-five minutes long, and throughout the interview these ladies mentioned their love of Purdue and my "astounding credentials" probably about ten times. Amazing. (Even more amazing when you realize that my credentials aren't really that astounding...) Now all I can do is pray that I get this placement- apparently they've had more than their share of qualified applicants and it's going to be a tough call. Yikes. Pray-pray-pray!

In other news: NYC is blistering (yes, I can literally see the sidewalks bubbling) in sweltering humidity. I have probably sweat close to a gallon of water since my arrival. Yuck.

Ah... yes, my arrival.

After I landed I went to the bus terminal.

I missed the first bus because I was too shy to get on it (yes, I know I'm twenty-four years old). I missed the second bus because I didn't know that the bus driver only accepted change. Then I caught the third bus and spent the entire ride staring at a VERY attractive, yet slightly creepy man trying to decide if he was gay or an incredibly uninhibited metro. He caught me staring at him about twelve times over the course of a twenty minute bus ride, but I have a wonderful, Midwestern shamelessness, and I just kept on staring.

I got off the bus at the wrong stop and couldn't find my subway. (Remember, I'm in a suit, pulling luggage, and it's ninety degrees outside). I had gotten off in a rather seedy part of Harlem. Honest to God, I was the only white person for about five blocks. It was awesome, but I didn't get a chance to bust out my gansta-speak. So I'll have to go back there, fo' shizzle.

Lost, and in the middle of Harlem (at least I knew I was in Harlem!), I hailed a suspicious looking taxi (he had no formal taxi markings other than his license in the front windshield). Hopping in I glibly reeled off the address of Rusk Rehab, and then pretended, yes pretended, to talk on the phone the whole time so that he'd think I was a grown-up (in my world grown-ups are busy and always making phone calls). I was so paranoid of being carted off to some deep, dark alley and losing my darling little Coach wallet. Poor driver. He was just doing his job, and my over-active imagination turned him into a felon...

Now I'm sitting in the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue. I'm finally regaining a stable core temperature (although my hair, even after 30 minutes, is still saturated with perspiration). In about an hour and a half I'll venture out for food and hydration before hiking to my resting place for the night- I'll probably be a horrible house guest for Elisha- I've been up since 3 and all I want to do is crawl into bed...