A Change of Direction

Claire looked in the mirror, carefully applying pale pink lipstick.  She took a step back and fluffed her  dark hair while taking a critical view of her outfit. Long flowing pants, tank top and a floral kimono. A long necklace and bracelets completed her outfit. She knew she looked the part but still she felt nervous.  She hadn’t been to a job interview in a very long time, and yet here she was.  A dark look crossed her face as she thought about being unceremoniously let go from her former job as an insurance agent with a local firm.  Times have changed and more people are buying their insurance policies online and don’t need a personal touch. 

She walked through her apartment and saw her resume sitting on her kitchen table. She was interviewing for a job at a different insurance agency and was concerned that she was jumping from the frying pan into well, another frying pan. Who’s to say that the next insurance agency won’t have cutbacks and she will wind up unemployed again?  

Glancing over her resume, looking one last time for any errors. The person interviewing her has asked for more in-depth information regarding her education and work experience. 

She thought about her Bachelor’s in Business and was frustrated by what she had chosen to do with it. She chose to play it safe and stayed where she felt secure. And this is where it got her. 

Her altar caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.  Crystals, candles, herbs and oils were lined up on the shelves near her altar.  She was born a Christian, but later found herself on a Wiccan path and never looked back. 

She remembered walking into a shop one day to purchase a specific spice she needed for a recipe she was creating. As she walked through the store looking at different herbs and spices a woman walked up behind her and introduced herself as the owner. 

“My name is Emilia” she said with a thick Spanish accent. “Welcome to my store, is there something I can help you find?”  

Claire had explained the recipe she was trying to make and her frustration and not being able to find the spices she needed at the grocery store. This launched a conversation about the importance of fresh herbs, and where they come from

“You know, herbs can be used for many other things as well, aside from cooking. They have powers of their own and can be used with specific intentions.” 

That was all Claire needed to hear. She was highly intrigued and found herself on a path she never expected.  

Emilia became a wonderful friend to her over the years, teaching her about Wicca, magick and how to live a life of intention and manifestation. She had been slightly nervous about this new lifestyle, but she had also never felt so free.  She finally found a way to live how she chose without the shackles of  conventional social norms. 

Along the way she met other people who shared her beliefs and learned much more. Including casting spells, celebrating holidays, and tarot card reading. The tarot cards helped her to address a life-long issue of underlying anxiety she could not identify or control.  She has come to learn this was her intuition that she was ignoring. By tapping into this, she regained control of her life. She largely kept this side of her life to herself, especially living in a small town. But when she moved to the bigger city she chose to immerse herself and be who she truly is. A witch. 

A witch who is also an insurance agent. Claire sighed and rolled her eyes. 

She decided to pull a few tarot cards to see how her interview may go for her.  2 of wands reversed, 8 of cups, Ace of Pentacles and The Fool.  It was clear to her that her career path has not been going how she had planned but these cards seem to indicate that it may be time for her to forge a new career path. Try something completely new, something risky.

At 35 years old, did she dare?  

Claire glanced at her wall clock and realized she would be late for her job interview if she did not leave in the next ten minutes. 

Twenty-five minutes later Claire was sitting on a crowded bus that was not moving at all.  Claire sighed and realized her interview was supposed to be starting and she was obviously not going to make it there.  She called the office to let them know what was going on.

“Yes, I am so sorry ma’am but there is a bad traffic accident which has caused all traffic to stand still. I don’t even know if I could get off the bus and walk to the office at this point.” she told Bobbi, her interviewer.  “Is there a way we could reschedule the interview?”

“I understand Claire and I appreciate you calling to let us know what is going on.  I’ll tell you what, I only have a couple of short meetings scheduled this afternoon, so just come on in and we can do your interview when you get here,” said Bobbi. 

“Thank you so much, if we don’t get moving within the next twenty minutes or so I will get out and walk to the office.”

Claire let out a short breath of frustration and looked around her. She was not the only one staring out the windows and wondering how much longer they will have to wait to leave. She hated to hear that there was a bad accident and hoped everyone was okay. 

“It’s always something isn’t it?” came a voice next to her. Claire looked over at the man next to her. He was so tall that his knees nearly came to his chest. He literally looked as though he folded himself up to fit into the seat. 

 “I am going to be late for my date it seems.”

“Yes, I’m going to be late for my job interview,” said Claire. “But I called and they told me to just come in when the bus moves again.”  

“Well I’m happy to hear that, my name is Troy by the way.”

“Hi Troy, I’m Claire. Nice to meet you,” she said with a smile.

Troy and Claire stared at the bus driver who was talking on the dispatch radio, hoping for an update. The driver looked as annoyed as the passengers did. 

The driver was talking in a low voice, and shaking his head.

“I'm glad that your interview won't fall through, wish I could say the same for my date” Troy said. “It's a blind date and I don't have any way to call her.”

“Troy, that is awful. At least try to call the place where you are meeting her and have them explain. It would really hurt your date to think she has been stood up.”

Just then the bus driver stood and turned around.

“Alright folks I have an update. Unfortunately the accident involved multiple vehicles and there is a lot of clean up. It doesn't look as though we are moving anytime soon.”

There was a chorus of groans and Troy and Claire just looked at each other and sighed.

“If anyone would like to de-bus and walk you are welcome to do that” the driver said. 

Claire contemplated her options. As much as she didn't want to show up winded, she at least wanted to show up. 

“What do you think Claire? Should we go for a walk?” asked Troy. 

At that moment Claire made up her mind. 

“Yes I think we should.”

Claire and Troy stepped off the bus and looked up and down the street.  

“My interview is on 37th” she told Troy. “Which way are you headed?”

“I'm on 33rd, let's go,” said Claire.

As Claire and Troy walked down the street they chatted about their prospective appointments. 

“You don’t seem that excited about a new job offer Claire” Troy said. “Aren’t you happy with the idea of a new insurance job?”

“Is it that obvious?” she replied. “I have played it safe for such a long time, and stayed with what I am good at. But honestly, no. I feel like I am ready to start something new.”

“If you could do any job without fear of failure, what would you do?” asked Troy. 

Claire stopped and just looked at Troy contemplating her options. She wanted to be honest and tell him about her dream of opening her own metaphysical shop and offer tarot readings, but she wasn't sure how he would react. Too often, her spiritual beliefs are not welcome. 

Troy looked nice enough, tall, dark haired with extremely kind brown eyes. 

“If I could, I'd love to open a metaphysical shop. Sell crystals, herbs, candles, and books. I'd offer tarot readings and things like that.” Claire said in one quick breath.

Troy grinned. “Claire, that sounds amazing, I think you should really go for it. Look into it!”

“Really?” she said. “I do have savings and now a severance I could use. Oh, I don't know. Let's keep walking.”

Along the way Claire asked about Troy’s blind date. “Her name is Rita, she is a professor at the local art college and she’s my age. That is pretty much all I know. We’ve been set up by a mutual friend.” 

“I think that’s great Troy, I hope it works out for you!” Claire replied. 

She started to say something more but there was suddenly a loud crashing sound. On the other side of the street a crate landed on the sidewalk after being dropped out of a third story window. Claire watched as the two men involved started yelling at each other in a foreign language.

Just behind the man on the sidewalk was an old shop. The windows were black and dirty, the door cracked. The outside was dusty and grimy. 

She felt very drawn to looking closer at this shop, and wondered how it became so run down.  

Claire started to cross the street without another word to Troy.  She stopped just long enough to avoid getting hit by a car and found herself standing in front of the blacked out window.  She could see the faint white lettering of the word HABERDASHERY  on the window.  She stood there silently wondering about the history of this shop, who owned it and where they are now. 

She was also envisioning what she could turn it into. 

Troy was slightly winded when he came up beside her. “Claire, what is it?” he asked. 

“Troy, look at this place. It’s beautiful.” she replied. 

In that moment Troy looked at her in the way she feared he would earlier when she told him about her dream of opening a metaphysical shop. He looked at her like she was completely crazy. 

“THIS is beautiful? Really?” Troy shrugged and said “Ok, I mean if you see the potential I agree. I would love to see someone turn this place back into something amazing.” 

“Back into? What do you mean?” she asked.  

“I am a real estate agent, and this place has been for sale for years,” Troy explained. “ It used to be owned by an elderly man who was a Holocaust survivor. He was imprisoned at Auschwitz and barely survived.  After being released he came to America and opened this Haberdashery. It was a thriving business for about 60  years.  Amazing story really.”

“But what happened then, why is it boarded up and run down now?” Claire asked.

“He died about 10 or 15 years ago, and the family was unsure about trying to keep the shop going any longer. The economy has hit everyone pretty hard and they decided to close shop and walk away. Kind of sad really.” 

Claire listened to Troy’s story and was envisioning this man coming to America and chasing the dream. From the sounds of it, he was very successful and Claire could feel this incredibly strong positive vibe coming from this shop.  

“You’re thinking of the shop you would like to open aren’t you.” she heard Troy ask. His voice sounded far away as she continued to stare at the shop.

“Yes, honestly I am. I just feel so drawn to this place.”

“Well, my date is still waiting for me so I need to get moving on. Isn’t your interview on the next block up?”

“Yes, yes it is. You’re right, I need to get going too.”

Troy and Claire crossed the street and headed down the sidewalk. Claire kept looking over her shoulder toward the shop. She had this oddest rush of anxiety and angst as she walked away. Like she was making a huge mistake. 

“Well here I am,” said Troy. “And from the looks of it, there is Rita” he said as he waved at her.  Rita was a beautiful woman, blonde and quite tall herself.  Claire knew intuitively that Troy had just met his future spouse. 

She could tell by the look on his face that her intuition was right. 

“Thank you so much for walking with me even when I ran across the street like a mad woman. Have a terrific lunch Troy, and good luck with your date” she said with a smile. 

“Claire, wait. Here is my card.  I saw your reaction to that shop today. I think you should give opening that shop some serious thought.

If you decide to, please give me a call and we can set up a showing and talk about a price. To be honest it’s old and run down. It isn’t selling for much and would need a lot of  work getting it back to its former glory.”

Claire took the card from his outstretched hand. “I will Troy. I will call you later this week for a showing. If nothing else, I’d love to at least see the inside, if it wouldn’t be a waste of your time.” 

“For you Claire, anything.  Have a great day and good luck!”

Claire noticed that he didn’t wish her luck with her interview.  At this moment she was seriously considering what to do next. Play it safe, or take one hell of a chance?

Twenty minutes later Claire was sitting in a very beige office.  The walls were beige, the carpet was a brownish color that had seen better days. It was so quiet that Claire could literally hear a fan oscillating in the next office over. 

Claire wanted to scream just to break the silence.

“Ok Claire, now tell me why do you want to come to work for us?”

“Honestly, Bobbi I don’t know” she heard herself saying. She instantly felt surprised and knew that she probably looked just as surprised as Bobbi did.

“On the way over here, I was telling someone how much I have always wanted to open my own shop. And then I found myself standing in front of a small place that is for sale and in dire need of some TLC. Now I am truly asking myself if this is what I want to do. If I want to keep playing it safe.”

Bobbi stared at Claire, first in surprise and then with a twinge of admiration. She leaned back in her chair and was clearly contemplating what she said next.

“I’ll tell you what Claire. We are very impressed by your education and your work experience. I truly believe you would be a terrific addition to our business.  But I also know that if your heart isn’t in it…” she said her voice trailing off.  “We have more interviews to do this week. Today is Tuesday, why don’t we talk on Friday. I’ll push forward with the other interviews while you explore your options. We can get together and make a decision then.”

Claire was slightly stunned at the kind offer and knew she needed to take this for what it truly is. Advice. 

“Bobbi, I think you’re right and thank you. I will take you up on this offer.” she told her.  “I will call you Friday for sure, and let you know either way.”

Claire shook Bobbi’s hand and headed for the door. 

Once outside, Claire looked at the business card Troy gave her.  In that instant she called his office, knowing he wouldn’t answer but wanted to at least leave a message. 

“Troy, this is Claire. I have decided to take a look at the shop. Please give me a call back and we can set up a showing as soon as possible.”

Claire felt a shiver run down her spine as she walked down the sidewalk with a slight pop in her step and a smile on her face.