Chapter Text
Hello to nobody, I hope, because this journal is just for me. I’ve just bought this to keep a record of anything interesting that happens in my life and, as it happens, tomorrow I have an interview with a company called ‘MJN Air’ so maybe that will be interesting enough to write about. Wish me luck.
I’ve just had my interview and, well, I’m just going to write it out, maybe that will help me make sense of exactly what happened.
I took a cab from my house instead of trying to drive my van; I didn’t want to deal with whatever problem the blasted contraption was going to try throwing at me today. Once I was let out of the cab at Fitton airfield I made sure every hair was in place and my clothes were without a single wrinkle. I really wanted to make a good impression, you know, look very professional.
My first pilot’s job fell through and since then I’ve been looking for another. Enduring weeks and weeks of being turned down hasn’t exactly left me confident about this interview but… I have to keep trying. All I’ve ever wanted to be is a pilot, dedicated my entire life to becoming one, so I’m never going to give up even if it ends up leaving me flat broke and horribly alone.
That’s what I was thinking about as I walked into the main building and it really didn’t help ANYTHING AT ALL so I quickly switched to practicing a winning smile and thinking of reasons I would be a good asset to an airline company.
I quickly made it through security, it was only a metal detector after all, and easily found my way to the building where I was to meet my fate, whatever it would be.
An excellent sense of direction, there’s something I have on my side.
As easy as it was to find my way there, the walk took a lifetime, or at least that’s how it felt. This was most likely due to nerves causing my legs to tense up more with every step, no matter how many times I said ‘For gods sake pull yourself together’ in my head and, for good measure, out loud.
Making it to the door I knew it wouldn’t do to look as nervous as I did so I took a calming breath and put on my best confident smile. Reaching for the doorknob I suddenly found myself being knocked to the ground.
There was just enough time for me to sarcastically think ‘Perfect’ before hitting the asphalt and smacking my head rather hard.
There was an almost blissful second when my vision went black before I became painfully aware of, well, the pain.
Laying there and staring at the sky for a while, I thought I deserved a moment just to pity myself for my numerous misfortunes so I took it. The moment ended when I found myself being grabbed by the hands and violently pulled to my feet, causing me to feel slightly dizzy and adding the worry about passing out on the spot to my to my list of misfortunes. Let me just say, because unfortunately I have experience in this, falling over is one thing but passing out at an interview will pretty much write you off for the job before you even have a chance.
Once I was on my feet again and the upright position processed in my head, I realized I was face to face with a man about my age, he had dark brown hair with a slight curl and brown eyes. Also, he just might have been tall enough that I actually had to look up slightly to be face to face with him. But that really isn’t important, especially because then he started talking.
“Wow, are you okay? That looked like it hurt but if it’s any help you looked really cool when you were falling, you had this smile like you were doing the falling over bit on purpose. Like one of those action movie guys who jump off a building and end up landing on the top of a flying car or something. Except that didn’t happen for you, you just sort of fell and started making a little whimpering noise.”
And I wasn’t sure if he would stop.
“Even though you looked cool I’m still really sorry about knocking you over. I don’t normally do that but you were on the other side of the door I was opening and when I open doors I don’t ever really think ‘oh, I should be careful there might be someone on the other side’ but now that this happened maybe I should try to think that so it won’t happen again.”
Ever.
“Oh, who are you by the way? Oh wait, wait, I’ve got it! This could be a guessing game! I don’t normally get to play guess who’s at the door because we don’t get that many guests here and if we do I end up knowing who there are already because they’re clients and mum says you have to know their names because people are upset when you don’t know who they are—Oh no. Are you upset because I don’t know who you are? Oh please don’t be, I’m sure I can figure it out if you’ll just hold on a tick… um… um… um…”
I was thankfully able to slip in a few words edgewise while he was thinking “I’m here for an interview with MJN Air” and by this point I was praying that the man standing in front of me was not the person I was to meet for said interview because then I might have just turned around and left that very second. I was seriously considering this when an older woman stepped through the door behind the man who was still playing ‘Guess who’s at the door’.
The woman cut him off by muttering ‘crowed bread’—or at least that’s what it sounded like— in his ear, causing the man to let out a little ‘Oh!’ and quickly leave with a wave. Which was the moment I realized we had been holding hands the entire time. Geez….
Dazed and utterly confused by this point it was lucky this woman was quick with introductions.
“Hello, I am owner and CEO of MJN Air, Carolyn Knapp-Shappey. You must be Damian.”
Damian?
“A-Actually, my name is Martin. Martin Crieff. I’m here for an interview?”
Ms. Knapp-Shappey put on a smile that made an attempt at friendliness but really just told me she didn’t like being corrected. In my defense it wouldn’t have been any good for her to go on thinking I was Damian, especially if I was hired. So there.
“Of course. Well then, Martin, step into my office and then we can get started.”
By this point I didn’t have much of the after affects of hitting my head but I still felt very nervous, walking into the office reminded me of the school principal’s office… Not that I was there often or anything, I was a VERY good student. Only ever tardy when kids threw my bag over a fence into someone’s yard and I had to go get it. Or that time they dropped it down a pothole in the road. I left that one where it was, I don’t think I would have wanted it after that anyway.
Back to the interview.
The office was very much like any other, nothing special really. Same mostly bare walls, same houseplant in the corner, same hardly furnished wooden desk, same totally intimidating employer and even the same scared for his career pilot. Exactly as I had encountered many times before but maybe this time the end result would be different.
“So” she flipped through the copy of my CV on her desk “You’re applying to be first officer, hm?”
For a second I wasn’t sure of the answer myself. That’s when I realized I really needed to get my act together. “Yes, yes I am” I replied, situating myself in my seat in a way that made me look the perfect balance of relaxed and confident, just like the movies. I could be one of those movies guys that man was talking about. Honestly I don’t know if it worked but I gave it a pretty good try nonetheless. “I think you will find I am perfectly qualified for the position and—“
“You failed your CPL four times?”
Damn. Damn damn damn. Why does that ALWAYS have the first thing they notice, the first thing they ask me about? Couldn’t they notice ‘Hey, this guy had really exceptional grades all through university, we should definitely overlook two or three of his CPL failures. Everyone makes mistakes after all’? No, apparently not.
“Yes, I did. But I really am a good pilot, I can handle any situation and I know everything there is to know about planes. I assure you I am perfectly suited to do this job.” I said this with all the honesty it deserved, I know that I have what it takes to be a great pilot. I know every manual and every flight procedure by heart, ask me anything about planes and how to fly them and I could tell you. I have that going for me and I always try to use it to my advantage.
But despite my efforts, she didn’t look the slightest bit convinced. “Normally I would have written you off from the start due to your obvious incompetence but I thought I might as well give you a chance, I haven’t gotten many applications recently. Just letting you to know how lucky you are to even be here.”
I didn’t feel incredibly lucky, I felt like I was losing a battle. “Right, thank you. I really appreciate it”
“That said, it was nice to meet you, Martin, I’ll think about it and let you know” she then closed my CV and slid it to the side, a gesture I’d come to recognize as something of employer sign language for ‘Not happening, better keep trying’
What I said next was out of desperation (or, more likely, because I had lost one too many brain cells when I hit my head) “I’ll work for half of what you paid your last first officer”
Carolyn Knapp-Shappey froze with her hand still on my CV, and then she got a funny little look in her eyes. “Would you work for a third?”
‘Oh god, what have I done.’ Was the only thought in my head and still unable to find the mental capacity to fix this particular situation I was only able to put up a weak argument “No no no, I’m sorry, but I really can’t work for so little. The least I’ll do is half.”
“Oh, that’s a shame… I don’t think it’s going to work out” the faint smirk on her face becoming more and more obvious by the second “Unless… you would work for, say, a fourth?”
Then there was a long silence where she looked at me and I adopted the look of freshly caught fish. Mouth agape and squirming. (Don’t judge me, I’m just trying to make this as accurate as I can) My desire to be a pilot and my need for a decent salary were having a battle.
Being a pilot won. It always does… the bastard.
Using my best authoritative tone I gave her the best offer I could “A third, that’s the lowest I can go” And hoped I could crawl out of her ludicrous offer of only a fourth pay and back up to a reasonable amount.
“What a pity. Well it was good of you to stop by. Good day, Mr. Crieff, I’ll keep in touch!” She waved me goodbye with a shark-like smile but I didn’t move for a long time, not until finally I gave in to the only airline that would give me a chance.
“Fine! I’ll do it for a fourth!” I’m ashamed about how easily I was manipulated into this agreement but was better than nothing, I would be a pilot and I would still get paid even if it wasn’t as much as I’d hope for. There’s always pay raises when I’ve proved my worth.
“Wonderful! Congratulations, Martin Crieff, you are officially MJN’s new first officer!” I’ll have it noted she said all this with a triumphant smirk “Your application says you can start within the week?”
My mind was still reeling from the decision I had just made, in case you were wondering about my mental state at this point. I always thought getting to be a pilot would suddenly make me feel as free as if I was already flying but no, that definitely wasn’t what happened, I felt more like a boulder... or something else completely stationary and immovable.
“Yes, yes I’ll be able to work within the week.”
“Great, not that your answer mattered either way. We have a job this weekend which we won’t be able to do without a first officer, our client is expecting two pilots, so as our brand new second pilot I expect you to be there.”
“O-Okay, I’ll be there. When will I be getting the schedule?”
“Oh don’t worry about that you impatient little man, everything will be sorted out. I’ll make sure you get the schedule and whatever else you need. Now, get out of my office”
Impatient? Little man?? I was really starting to realize I was getting more than I bargained for… In actuality I got less than I bargained for, salary wise, but that’s just my luck isn’t it. “Right, okay, keep me informed”
“I just said I would. Now shoo.”
So I shooed. Barely making it to the door when I was called back
“Martin?”
Turning around, I considered making a smart comment about her indecisiveness on where I should be at the moment but thought that might not be the best idea given the circumstances “Yes?”
“How little would you take to be Captain?”
Captain. CAPTAIN. Oh god only knew how badly I wanted to be CAPTAIN. Captain Martin Crieff, it sounded absolutely perfect in my head.
“C-Captain?”
“That is what I said. Why don’t you take a seat?”
I ended up taking a seat on the floor where I stood. Or should I say I fell over? …No, I definitely like ‘sitting’ a lot better, not that it matters because I stood up quickly and took an actual seat. Really smoothly done, if I’m kidding myself.
“Well seeing as you are in need a captain and I am perfectly qualified for the job. I will take full pay.” Oh yes, I was in charge of this situation… Or so I thought.
Carolyn gave me a look that was successfully intimidating. “I have a Captain, obviously, I have been running this charter airline for over 6 years. I am simply offering to make you captain, for the right price, because… you are so professional!”
I don’t know how I fell for that either, I’m not so oblivious that I’d buy into false praise like that.
What I had done was I had made the biggest mistake of the bargaining world: I had let her know just how badly I wanted what she was offering. I was at her mercy.
“Alright, Mr. Crieff, let’s get back on track here. I will give you your first job as captain, if you give me the right offer.”
“Well, H-How about I take a fourth of a Captain’s salary, just the same as the first officer. That’s more than fair.”
“And I’m being much more than fair giving you the chance to be captain when the one I have now is doing a perfectly good job. Now I have an idea of how little you’ll take but let’s see if I’m right”
Yeah, she pretty much knew I’d do anything to be captain but I was going fight for as much as I could “A fourth?” her look was my answer, “An eighth? …A sixteenth?” Oh dear god “An… eighteenth?” No reaction. So I just sat silently while she looked me over. I dreaded what would come next.
“I will generously make you a Captain. Your second job as a pilot will be a captain. And I’m going to make you an offer of nothing. You get to be captain and I don’t pay you”
NOTHING. She was in all seriousness offering to pay me NOTHING. That isn’t a JOB, that’s VOLUNTEERING.
With everything that happened up to this point and then with this shocking development, I was just mentally exhausted. The place where I had hit my head was starting to hurt again, as well as where I had strained my shoulder while at a particularly difficult moving job (They were moving everything out of their flat)
It was actually my man with a van job that helped me make the final decision, I thought about how if I wasn’t a pilot then all I would have to go back to was that. It reminded me of my dad who never believed I would amount to anything by going to flight school, who thought I was wasting my time and money trying to become a pilot, who wanted me to just give it all up to be an electrician. Well this would show him, wherever he was, because I was about to become captain.
“I’ll do it.”
And, as they say, the rest is history. I’m the captain of MJN Air and my first job is this Saturday. I’ve got my dream job and the salary from my nightmares. I really don’t know what I’m going to do about money, I’m just going to try to get by on what I have, what I can get from moving jobs between flights and hope there are pay raises in my near future.
I just realized, I never found out who that strange man was… I guess I don’t need to worry about that now.