“My name is Sruthi and I’ve got an email inviting me to today’s interview”. She extended the hard copy of the email, which she remembered carefully enough not to forget. The receptionist wore a bored look and scanned the contents of the letter.

“You are half an hour late madam. I’m not sure if I can allow you in.” His poker face did not to give away the agitation he felt for letting in people well after the scheduled time of the interview.

Sruthi started to make her pleading face but she was certain that it won’t impress the man, after she saw herself in the auto’s rearview mirror, which she took while rushing to the office. However, the receptionist after calling his superiors gave her a couple of disapproving glances and keyed in her details letting her in. She rushed in when she heard him call her back. She wondered if he found anything amiss again.

“All the best Madam”. The damn poker face again. Things were certainly not looking up. She entered the foyer where the other aspirants were sitting and she could not find an empty chair to rest herself. She entered the rest room and one look in the mirror was enough to make her feel she wont be able to get through the interview. The dried up sweat on her face made her look restless and she felt her dress was inappropriate and her hair was a mess. She quickly tried to fix her hair, but her attempts made it even worse and her tresses were misbehaving at the most opportune time. She wished for a long and leisurely shower, but just then she heard an attendant call her name.

She rushed out of the rest room and followed the attendant into another room, where another bunch of guys and girls were sitting as if they were waiting to pounce on her for their breakfast. She understood that the Group Discussion round was about to begin in 5 minutes. And the topic was the importance of planning in project management. Great. Just what she needed. She cursed herself for being so unprepared for the day.
The next 15 minutes was an ordeal. She felt that every time she tried to open her mouth, she was subjected to an intense examination of her appearance. When she was able to successfully suppress that feeling and actually say something, the third girl sitting away from her asked her a question, which prompted the guy sitting opposite her, to answer in a different tangent. She felt her hair raise 180 degrees and wanted to run away from the room, but with an effort she stayed in to end the nightmare.

After the Group Discussion round, she came out and was immediately surrounded by others who wanted to know how it went and what the topics were. She wanted to scream aloud and disappear instantly, but to her immense pleasure, the attendant came in and announced a lunch break of an hour.

She got out of the building and called her friend, who lives close to the place.
“Are you in? I want to come over?”
“I’m going to watch Dedh Ishiya with my boyfriend. You want a ticket or something?”
“No. I want to use your bathroom. I need to recharge my hair.”
“You need to recharge your what?”
“My hair. It’s a mess and I’m in an interview”
“Oh. That’s alright. I’m away and I’ll leave the keys in our usual place. Come over, but please don’t mess my bathroom up. You know how I’m particular about…”
“Alright. Don’t  start now. You have any formals in your wardrobe?”
“I just bought one yesterday, but don’t dare to touch it and I’m really serious about this”

Sruthi disconnected the call without listening her friend out and took a Sunsilk Shampoo Bottle from the super market. She quickly paid and rushed to her friend’s apartment.

She let herself in and went straight into the bathroom. She wondered how much time her friend spent in her bathroom, for it was almost pristine. She was thankful that it had a tub.

She immersed herself into the tub and let the cold water run through her hair. She felt that she could doze off in that tub if she does not rush back, but the shower was making her all cozy. She shampooed her hair and the lather and the aroma produced by the shampoo made her feel good and refreshed. She wanted to lie there forever, admiring the taps, room freshener, taps and other paraphernalia, but the receptionist’s poker face flashed through her mind.

She changed herself into the formal suit her friend warned her against, and rushed again to the building. The receptionist took a look at his watch and found her just on time. His smile was a bit forced, but it did not have the earlier displeasure. She thought he probably had a good lunch. He wished her the best again and she went in, feeling fully recharged.

Her call came in about half an hour and she held her resume forward to the handsome young man in front of her. The cool breeze from the air conditioner comforted her and she felt good.

This post is written as a part of Recharge Your Hair Contest by Sunsilk hosted by IndiBlogger