Pictures of Life

"Alright," I said to myself as I entered the skyscraper, "first day on the job, gotta make a good impression." The officers of Heig and Paykel were sleek, slick and shiny, and were upgraded with the latest tech in the photography business. If you were an aspiring photgrapher in London, this was your dream. To work here, well, that would be the best thing in the world for me. I clutched tightly to my camera, an old Kodak 4000, as I ventured further into the steel beast. People jostled against me on all sides, like waves in the sea, but I was fixated on my destination. Mr Heigs office, the office where your dreams were either made or broken. I arrived at the door, but before knocking I checked myself over once more, as I'd been doing all morning. Shoes: check. Black tights: check. Miniskirt: check. Plain Black tee: check. Leather jacket: check. Artistic beret perched precariously on my head: check. Confidence: still not sure where that went. Sighing, I knocked once, twice, three times on the heavy oak door. The knocks sounded ominous, as if I was sealing my fate.

Slowly, the door creacked open to reveal a young man, maybe thirty or so years old, beckoning me inside. I quickly stepped inside as the door slammed shut behind me. "Sadie Perkins?" he asked, in a tone like he was speaking to a child. "Yes sir," I squeaked, hoping desperately not to sound like a mouse. "I understand you wish to intern with us this summer. Is this what you truly want?" "Ye-yes sir, it's been my dream since I was a little girl to be a photographer, and, well, you're the best company around." All this came out in a nervous rush. I realised I was babbling, but I couldn't close my stupid mouth. Sometimes I feel like its got a life of its own. Anyway, I dove into my hand bag, searching desperately for my best black and white stills. My hand brushed against them, and I ripped them out, throwing them on his desk. He picked up my favourite one, a picture of my old border collie, Spot, leaping over a fence, and mused over it. "This is... good," he finally said, after minutes of agonising silence. "I believe we may have a place for you at Heig and Paykel."

Success! I felt like exploding with joy, like I could become a shooting star. I was on top of the world! "But remember, this is only an internship, and you'll be watched very closely." But this fell on deaf ears, as nothing else he could say would matter. I was at my dream job, and this was the best moment of my life. "Thank you so much sir, you won't regret this!" I gushed as I gathered my stuff and left. On the way out, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Young, confident, brimming with energy. This was how I wanted to be remembered. So I grabbed my camera and snapped a pic of my reflection, then headed out for the first day of the rest of my life.