Prejudice

     
We often see in another that which we expect to see and miss the truth of who they really are.    
     
     
I knew I would be meeting a lot of the helpless and the hopeless the feckless and the reckless. Many of them were simply going through the motions with no intention of working; attending only to keep their State benefits flowing.  Yes there would be genuine ones, good, decent  hard working people. The positions would be filled but God; it was such a long, tedious process.  
    
Conducting interviews is not my forte but a necessary part of my job. To be frank I hate it. It’s a damned nuisance that takes me away from my other duties. Cost cutting meant that recruiting for minor positions was now the sole responsibly of store managers. Two days ago I had to conduct interviews for checkout and warehouse operatives.    
    
Christine Thompson was first her CV was in front of me and I had glanced through it briefly. I wasn't impressed, for a start she lived on the Burnslack Estate a crime ridden collection of council owned tower blocks. Then there was her appearance.    
    
I could see the facial holes where she had removed the body piercings but of course the large tattoos on her neck and hands remained. That she had removed the body piercings was, I suppose, a mark in her favour but I hate tattoos so decided immediately not to employ her.  
    
‘Tell me about your last job Christine’ I heard myself ask. Bog standard question I was hardly listening to her reply.  
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‘I've worked in a care home’ she said brightly ‘I enjoyed that. I like people a lot.’  
    
Yeah, but do people like you? I thought eyeing her body art.    
    
‘And your reason for leaving?’  
    
 ‘I was made redundant’ she said simply.  
    
 ‘So why do you want to work for us?’  
    
‘You pay decent wages and I have a baby to support' her eyes took on a pained look ‘me an’ her dad split up.’  
    
Oh great! Body piercings, conspicuous tattoos and domestic problems to boot, enough already. I felt I just wanted to be rid of her. ‘Well Christine we have a lot of people to interview yet so we’ll let you know OK?’  
    
‘She looked deeply disappointed ‘Aren't you going to ask about my qualifications? she said ‘I'm prepared to do any work, any work at all.’    
    
‘We’ll let you know soon’ I mumbled breaking eye contact.  
    
‘I think you already have’ she said a bitterly ‘It’s ‘cos of my tattoos isn't it? she was on the verge of tears 'I was a stupid kid back then now I'm twenty four with a child to support. Can’t you just look at me and not my tattoos?' she pleaded 'I've got good literacy and numeracy skills I could...’  
    
‘We’ll let you know’ I cut her off harshly feeling embarrassed by her desperation and by the truth of her statement.  
    
I found the two checkout people I needed but I couldn't fill the warehouse job. ‘Where were these people educated?’ I moaned to my wife that night. ‘Most of them can barely write their own name. One guy even filled out his application in text speak for God’s sake.’  
    
Next morning I looked through the rejected applications again. Christine Thompson had ‘A’ star level in maths and English she could do the warehouse job standing on her head.  She sang in a choir and did voluntary work, too. I reached for the phone but then hesitated. Anyone with those tattoos, outlandish body piercings and a single mother, too,  was just bound to be trouble. I let my prejudice win and binned her application.  
    
Driving home past the Burnslack tower blocks I was stopped by police activity. Traffic built up behind me. I was trapped. In the tower block’s car park a host of blue lights were flashing. After a while I got out of the car and went to the group of bystanders ‘What’s going on here then?’ I asked somewhat impatiently.  
 
A lady with tears in her eyes told me ‘I saw her this morning just to say hello. I only knew her first name Christine it was, the tattooed girl. She’s just jumped’ She covered her face with prayer shaped hands so I barely heard the words that will haunt me for the rest of my life, ‘She took the baby with her.’