Job Interview

The interview room was small and cramped, with stacks of cardboard carton boxes lining the walls. The muted rings of the office phones filtered through the thin partition wall in a subdued counterpoint to the soft murmur of the air-conditioner.

At the table, I worked at filling up the interview form in front of me.

Year of birth. 1978. Male. Singaporean? Yes.

Halfway through the page, my pen paused, hovering above the paper.

"Do you have any impairments, physical, mental or medical, which would interfere with reasonable job performances?"

Is vampirism an impairment?

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My art portfolio consisted of a few life drawing pieces, a selection of the better artworks I've done up during the past year and a couple of freelance projects.

The interviewer lingered at the last page over the photographs.

"Do you do studio photography?"

I hesitated. I had inserted the photographs on a last minute impluse. "I'm an amateur."

"Hmmmm."

She glanced through the interview form, noticing the blank space. "So, no medical illnesses or anything I should know of?"

"I haven't seen a doctor since I was twenty." I said truthfully.

"You might need to go overseas for short assignments. Do you have any problems with that?"

My heart sank.

"For how long a period each time?"

"A week at most to oversee the work." Then noticing my look of dismay, she added reassuringly, "It's not so bad. I go up once a month. The company takes care of everything, including your food and hotel expenses."

Update. The company called to offer me the job. I took it. It was the first job offer in a long while. Even a vampire needs to earn a living to pay the bills.