Lee Marsden was a young man with a meditative countenance and unruly brown hair. He trudged from one small boardwalk business to another, asking prospective employers if they needed summer help. Though the summer season was still a good two months away, Lee was getting the jump on the annual migration of job-seekers that would soon descend on Seaside.
A beach rhythm pervaded the boardwalk. Waves crashed to the shore, tides rose and fell around the rocky jetty at the south end of the boardwalk. It was still off-season, although summer was closing in fast. Many of the boardwalk businesses hadn't yet opened, and were shuttered with retractable steel. The boardwalk was silent except for screeching gulls.
A possible job was at Palestra's Rides. Marsden had filled out an application, and Raymond Palestra had asked him to come back for an interview. Raymond hadn't said much about the amusement park job. It had to be better than working in a restaurant, Lee thought as he climbed the steps to the amusement park office. As Marsden entered, Raymond motioned for him to sit on the battered green metal chair across from the desk. A wet salt breeze puffed languidly through screened windows overlooking the silent amusement park. Behind a battered green steel desk sat Raymond, who ran the park for the Palestra family. He was sullen but powerfully built, and wore a greasy blue baseball cap over his receding hairline. He squinted at Lee Marsden's employment application.
"Says here you were in a sound and lighting club in high school. You know how to operate a sound system?" grumbled Raymond.
"Yes sir," answered Marsden.
"We installed a new sound system on one of the rides last year," continued Raymond. "You ever barked?"
"Barked?" asked Lee.
"Talked over the microphone. Tried to get people to buy tickets and ride," explained a slightly exasperated Raymond.
"Oh," replied Lee, "I see... I made announcements over the loudspeakers at basketball games, wrestling matches, talent shows, that sort of thing," replied Marsden.
"We can put you on The Olympic Bobsled ride," abruptly stated Raymond. "When's the soonest you can get here after you get out of school?"
"School lets out the 20th of May, so I can be here the following Monday morning, sir," replied Lee. Lee was a freshman at Maryland University.
At this Raymond rose from behind his desk and held out his hand to shake it. "We look forward to having you work with us, Lee," Raymond asserted, concluding the interview.