The Graffiti Effect

by Forrest, Perri

  “Confidence. I like it. Follow me.”

  A few minutes later Kandice opened the door to a bright, mid-sized conference room, with an all-white décor. Inside sat six individuals—four men and two women. The minute all eyes fell upon me, the nerves came rushing back, exponentially! I had heard that there would be a panel interview. I had participated in my fair share of them. But six people! That was a lot. Once she’d directed me to a seat in the center of the group, Kandice sat down. So, then there were seven.

  Lucky number seven, right? At least I hoped so.

  “Good morning, Miss Henson. I’m Clyde Morgan, the CFO . . .”

  His lips were moving along in his introduction, but I was too flabbergasted at the fact that the CFO actually came to my interview! That made it even more nerve-wracking. Not ever, on my payroll career path, had a CFO sat in any of my meetings. Not even once. Shit, did the CFO show up anywhere outside of electronic correspondence? Not in my world. To make things even more tense, was the fact that he was extremely nice on the eyes!

  He was late 40’s, maybe . . . maybe early 50’s. Smooth, dark chocolate, inquisitive dark eyes, beautiful teeth, and a welcoming smile. It didn’t hurt one bit that he rocked a goatee that looked sculpted by the Egyptians, themselves. His barber had to be some kind of geometric genius. He was so fresh an so clean in a silver-grey suit with a white button-up beneath, and a silk seafoam tie beneath his collar. And I was sure it was his cologne that was coming for my nostrils in that conference room.

  Pull yourself together, Kassidi!

  “Was your flight comfortable?” he asked, bringing me back to the present.

  “Very comfortable, Mr. Morgan, thank you.”

  It’s the sitting in front of seven strangers that’s not so comfortable!

  He went around the table introducing me to everyone, including Kandice, who I had already met. It impressed me finding out that she was a senior accountant. Her position would report to the one that I was applying for. The other attendees, comprised of the CFO’s executive assistant, who was there to take notes, while the others were department heads from marketing, and the executive office.

  Pressure, much?

  The earlier part of the interview was pretty informal with everyone sharing their credentials, and letting me know how long they’d been with the company. They also shared what their exact functions entailed, and how my work directly aligned with their departments. But then came the questions that were semi-personal, but dressed as subtle, ‘minor concerns’.

  “What brings you to us from California?” Jason Harris, a VP from executive office, posed.

  I hesitated for a few short seconds. I didn’t want to delay the response too long because the last thing I needed was for them to feel that I wasn’t sure about my decision. But I also wanted to be careful about slipping on how I had a failed relationship and how I just wanted a brand-new start. They might view me as a woman trying to temporarily escape, and using their opportunity to do it. That would be damaging to any chance I had at the position—and I really wanted the opportunity.

  “I’ve wanted to move to Las Vegas for a very long time. California has been my home all my life, and honestly, as much as I love it—the culture, my family being there, the weather—it’s just time to broaden my horizons.” I saw nods around the table, prompting me to continue. “But when I was contacted about this position, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. As a finance thought leader, I pride myself on being a forward-looking, forward-thinking, trusted advisor that can help steer the enterprise.” I looked around the table quickly, and felt the need to clarify my latest statement. “Not in a way that steps on anyone else’s toes, but in a way that helps to move the organization forward—from my own lane. I maintain a strong understanding of Finance concepts, methods, standards, principles, and technology. I make sound decisions and recommendations based on that understanding. In addition to that, I possess, as well as apply, a comprehensive knowledge of current and evolving best practices and industry trends.”

  “Impressive . . .” I heard. I looked across the table to see Kandice smiling and nodding her approval of my answer. “I love it,” she added.

  “Thank you.”

  “So, Miss Henson, tell us a bit about your relationship-building,” requested Hannah, another member of the executive office. “Because that is a huge one with us.”

  “Of course,” I prefaced. “I have a strong knack for building trusting relationships with business leaders and partners. I'm also highly effective at thinking analytically and focusing on the big picture, with the ability to understand the impact. My primary objective is to be a strategic business partner. To be responsible for maintaining internal controls & compliance, providing support to internal/external clients. And most importantly, engaging employees in company core values.”

  Hannah offered me a thin smile before tucking a section of her blonde locks behind her ear. I anxiously awaited any other questions they might have. I found myself confident on the one hand with my responses, but at the same time ready to jet out the door to the nearest bar! The nods and smiles were cool, but those gestures didn’t necessarily equate to, “You’re hired!”

  The next round of questions weren’t as grueling. They even tried rephrasing some of what had already been asked, but I picked up on that easily and delivered. Then came the situational-type of, ‘Was there ever a time?’ and ‘How did you handle it?’ All of the usual. All of which should have been retired eons ago because they were questions that never truly told about a candidate. Especially, since anybody with an ounce of intellect, could merely provide responses that would appease the interviewer.

  Before the interview came to a final close, Clyde asked, “Does anybody have any more questions for Miss Henson?”

  Silence engulfed the room. Some shook their heads in response, while others spoke out, “None from me.”

  Clyde turned to me after the census had been taken. “Miss Henson, do you have anything for us?”

  I shrugged my shoulders lightly, and smiled. “I don’t. I think you all have covered any inquiries I might’ve had, during the course of our time together. I would like to say that I am very interested in what this corporation . . . this position has to offer. Outside of your standing in the industry, and the beauty of the JPC Resorts, I’m most attracted to the fact that while it’s a conglomerate of a corporation, it has a small company feel. That culture is something I’ve patiently waited for throughout my entire career.”

  “Well . . .” Clyde concluded. “I know I speak for everyone when I say that it was a pleasure meeting you.”

  “Same here,” I reciprocated, looking around. I made sure to make eye contact with everyone at the table. “It was a pleasure. I thank you all for time.”

  All attendees stood from their chairs, simultaneously. When we were done shaking hands and saying our goodbyes, I headed out of the conference room, Kandice by my side.

  “It was so nice meeting you,” Kandice told me when we arrived at the elevators. “Clyde is a hard sell, but he seemed to really like you. I know that he’s looking to make a decision soon. So, best of luck to you.”

  I offered her a smile. “Thank you so much, Kandice. Got my fingers crossed.”

  -33-

  MARCO

  The thing about both of my ‘jobs’ was that they required different rest schedules for me that sometimes took some getting used to. With the dancing, I could keep my nights as long as I wanted to, and loved doing it since being up late was my thing. But when it came to having to do a move, it was a whole other ball game. Way more involved, and way more to consider as far as people’s times and schedules. But all the intricacies were why I liked being involved, why being hands-on with my company, was still a huge part of me. Everything that moving was, had made me into the man I had become. Time management, knowing how to deal with all levels of individuals, networking, and building businesses. It all contributed to the businessman that Marco Graf, was.

&nb
sp; Because of my business savvy, I had grown Black Ice to epic proportions. I had more than enough employees, and never had to move another piece of furniture if I didn’t want to. In large, due to the fact that business was better than I ever thought it could be with all the people moving in and out of Las Vegas. However, I actually liked doing moves—particularly the long-distance ones. I loved the shit out of Vegas, but any chance to get out of town—even if working—just for a little while was a welcomed adventure.

  This particular adventure had us rolling into the Bay Area valley at 7AM on a Wednesday morning. My assessor had already gone down two weeks prior and estimated time and cost to put the proposal together, for the company that had hired us. With that information, I had guesstimated door-to-door would be somewhere around eighteen hours—sixteen-hour round trip drive, and about two hours loading time. I would have plenty of time to get back, rest and be ready for my performances on Friday and Saturday.

  “I love it out here, man,” James said when we drove past the ‘Welcome to Manteca’, sign. “Manteca is the shit. The homes are bomb as fuck. They used to have a big-ass waterslide out here. I don’t know what happened to that shit, though.”

  My seat was slightly reclined, my eyes closed. My choice was always driving back, so I caught little pockets of rest, on the way to our destination.

  “You say that shit every time we come this way,” I said, opening my eyes to confirm where we were. “Yep . . . sure do,” I remarked, closing my eyes again.

  James laughed out loud. “So, what. Gonna keep sayin’ it too.”

  “Clearly,” I mumbled, reaching to turn on the radio.

  “Fine-ass women too,” James added.

  “Why don’t you just move your ass back here, already,” I told him, tired of having to hear about ‘home’ each and every time we made a Bay Area trip together. “You’re sounding all homesick like a chick.”

  “Man, fuck you,” James shot. “We ain’t gonna talk about you shakin’ ya ass on the weekends like a chick, though.”

  I laughed loudly. “I shake my dick, not my ass. Ask ya girl.”

  “Whatever you shake, that shit is for females.”

  “You smell that?!” I asked, sitting erect in my seat and looking around the road.

  “Smell what?”

  “That envy!” I yelled, before laughing and settling back into my seat.

  “Yeah, okay. You got me.” A few minutes later when we were about fifteen minutes from our destination, James made a comment that surprise me. “Nah, for real though, man. When the Alphas gonna have another tryout?”

  “What the fuck is, ‘the Alphas’, James?” But then I thought about it. “Aww shit. You mean the Wolf Pack?!”

  “Yeah, them! I wanna try out.”

  We pulled up in front of the residence of the person who had the key to the storage and got out to go to the door.

  “You got jokes. You just finished saying it was for chicks. I can’t take you seriously.”

  “But, I’m serious, man,” James insisted after pressing the doorbell.

  “We’ll talk,” I assured him when the door opened.

  We were greeted by an attractive black woman. She was brown-skinned, her hair in dreadlocks, pulled into a ponytail above her head. She had on a dark-purple sweatsuit and white tennis shoes, she looked to be in her mid-to-late fifties.

  Her smile was bright when she greeted us. “Good morning, gentlemen.”

  “Good morning,” James and I said in unison.

  “Judging by the size of that rather large truck, you’re here for my niece’s storage keys.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I responded. “We’re here to get her things safely to Las Vegas.”

  “Well, I’m happy you’re here because now my baby can have her bed to sleep in. I think she’s been sleeping on one of those air mattresses or something. I offered to buy her a bed, but of course she turned me down. You guys come on in and I’ll get you those keys.”

  We stepped inside of the threshold of the nice home. One look around let me know that the family had great taste. The space was open and well-lit with a ton of natural sunlight—even as early as it was. The entire décor had warm tones around it that reminded me of my own home. Only difference was that I hired a designer. I was absolutely sure that the stylish women that opened the door, had done her own designing.

  “Nice, right?” James acknowledged from the side of me. “But I’ll bet it’s three times what it would be in Vegas. And that’s the answer to your question about why I don’t come back home. Expensive as fuck,” he whispered.

  “Okay, gentlemen,” she commented walking back to us. “Here is the key.” She handed me a separate piece of paper, and pointed to an area. “This is the number of the storage unit, and these six digits below are the numbers you need to punch in for the gate to open.” She stood quiet for a few minutes as if she had more to say, and out of respect, neither James nor I moved. “Please tell my baby that I love her and that I’ll be there to see her real soon.” And then she leaned in closer and whispered as though someone was listening. “I was really hoping they didn’t call her back for that job, and that she wouldn’t leave.” She chuckled lightly. “But don’t tell her that part.”

  I didn’t know why her sadness hit me as hard as it did. Something about seeing a woman in that way, always got to me. By the time I got back to the truck, her front door had closed. I was glad that it had, because I didn’t want to have to see the sadness in her eyes anymore.

  -34-

  MARCO

  We got back to Vegas at around eight that night and parked the truck with the merchandise inside of my warehouse under lock and key. We had scheduled an 8AM offload time at the client’s home, but that part I wouldn’t be involved in.

  “Where’s the itinerary?” I asked James on our way to the parking lot to get in our cars.

  “What itinerary?”

  “The one for tomorrow.”

  “It’s uploaded in the system already. Berto, Mike and Mark already have it for tomorrow. Locked and loaded. And why do you even still ask those questions when you know shit is run so smoothly?”

  “Dude, it’s my fuckin’ company. I can ask what the fuck I want,” I responded defensively.

  James ran his palm across the top of his head and sighed. His annoyance was clear when he said, “Like I don’t know that shit, Marco. But you see how successful this shit is? We runnin’ this shit right. Across the board. Even when you ain’t there. All of us treat this company like it’s ours and you ask that shit every time.”

  “Why the fuck are you so bent out of shape about me inquiring about my own shit? What’s the real fuckin’ issue?!”

  It wasn’t all the time that James and I got into it. I’d known him the longest of any of the people that worked for me. He had been to jail a few times when we were growing up, but I always knew him to be a standup guy, so when he needed me for employment it was a non-issue. But regardless of how long I’d known him, challenging me on what to ask and not to ask wasn’t gonna fly. I wasn’t above questions—but being questioned was a whole other deal.

  “Because if you have a problem with me doing CEO shit, then maybe you shouldn’t be a part of it. Shit, I’ll understand if you feel like it’s time for you to move on.”

  “Man, look. I didn’t say all that shit.” He looked at me eye-to-eye. “Why you gotta take it there? To the extreme? It just feels like a lack of trust, man. In all the time that this company has been around, you haven’t had so much as one negative review—Yelp, or anywhere else. You haven’t had so much as a complaint from a soul sayin’ their move was less than five stars. That should tell you somethin’.”

  James was right. With me pulling double duty with Cyn City and with Black Ice Movers, my team pretty much carried the manual labor part of the organization. Not that I wasn’t present. I was very much present, but when it came to moving people all around and getting them set up, that primarily fell on their shoulders.

&nb
sp; “My bad, J. You’re right. I apologize for the way I came off. I know that this couldn’t have been accomplished with just me. I recognize that BIM grew to the levels that it has, with the full team putting in work. So, the way I said that was all wrong. I’m glad you called me on it. And of course, I didn’t mean what I said about you moving on. I’d be fucked if you left. I know you look at this company as if it was your own and I appreciate that more than you know.”

  James stuck his hand out in front of me so that we could shake on it. Then we both pulled each other in to a bro-hug.

  “I appreciate that, man,” he said. “You gave me a chance when no fuckin’ body would. Not even family. So, you are my family. I just need you to know I got you. We got you. I overreacted when you asked the question and I didn’t need to do that. So, I’m sorry too. The itinerary was sent over days ago and I emailed, when you were driving back from the Bay, to make sure shit was set.” He smiled a prideful smile. “So, shit is good and set to go for tomorrow morning . . . bright and early. And the move is in your part of town—on your block, ironically.” James walked a few feet to where he was parked and then shouted back. “Would love to chat some more, my dude, but I’m outta here. Need to go home and get my dick wet!”

  “Dude! Way too much fuckin’ information!” I yelled back at him, knowing I was about to go and do something along the same lines.

  -35-

  KASSIDI

  I awoke with a new energy. Sleeping on an air mattress was not my idea of comfort, but at least it was a Beautyrest Extraordinaire—one of the best they have. So, while it wasn’t my bed, it served its purpose of giving me a night’s rest that wasn’t horrible.

  I threw the light blanket off of me and stretched my limbs, complete with sound effects. I wiggled my toes, admiring my freshly done pedicure. The nail shop had done a good job, but nothing like it would’ve looked had it been done in Oakland! Vegas for sure had some affordable living, but its services were ridiculously priced. At home I could get a full gel set for about $35, but out here . . . $48! Yeah, right! What made the pedicure was the color more than anything because looking at it, I saw that it wasn’t a treatment I could have done myself.