I really shouldn't call this an "update".  I'm still sort of in limbo.  The
manager of 'Charlotte' was supposed to call me Sunday afternoon.  She
didn't, so a hour before they closed I called and was told she was with a
customer.  I didn't hear back from her that day.

Yesterday morning as soon as they opened I called.  She said she had
attempted to call me but got a message "This line is busy" (don't you hate
that? No, you cannot automatically redial my call for a charge of 50
cents!).  I had not been on the phone so perhaps *she* got busy and simply
forgot, or dialed the number incorrectly.  At any rate, she told me she has
an employee who is a student who expressed interest in working more hours.
Did I want full time or part time work?  (I'd prefer full time, but hey,
part time is better than *no* time, right?)  I told her I would take either
one at this point, although I do still prefer to work days.  She said she
would work on the schedule and get back in touch.

I didn't really ask, but if she's working on the schedule, with the
inference I'm part of the schedule, is it safe to assume I have a job?
Remember, she gave me the application to take with me and bring back when
next we meet; she doesn't even have it yet!

And of course, I didn't want to be pushy.  But when I hung up the phone I
was thinking about the other employee who wants more hours.  A student.
Yes, there certainly *are* older students.  But the image that flashed
through my mind was that of a young person, perhaps living with her parents
or at least sharing a place with roommates.  Perhaps wanting more money for
holiday gifts, clothes, parties.  (My instincts are usually correct.)  I'm a
middled aged woman who lost considerable income and *probably* have more
bills than she does.  But I was afraid if I said it must be full time it
would look like I was trying to displace the request of an existing employee
so I didn't.  Do you think this was the correct approach?

One odd thing, which I didn't remember until after I'd initially talked with
her last Saturday:  early in the morning before I went to apply in the
shops, I dreamed about a jewlery store. <theme from the Twilight Zone
playing in my head>

Jill