The Reluctant Expat_Part Four_Settling Down by Alan Laycock

Author:Alan Laycock [Laycock, Alan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unblinkered Press
Published: 2019-01-24T07:00:00+00:00

At 9.10am on Monday the recruitment agency informed Angela that they’d so far had well over a thousand applications for the jobs, so we were both ever so glad that they were selecting suitable candidates and forwarding their CVs.

“Just imagine if we’d done it ourselves, Alan,” she said in the car.

“Yes, we’d have inboxes like... like telephone directories,” I said, as my wit usually sharpens gradually throughout the day.

During the twenty-minute drive Angela’s phone pinged constantly, each email being a single selected application.

“Waiter, waiter, receptionist, waitress, cook, chambermaid, waitress… oh, a male chambermaid, however you say that in English.”

“Are you sure he isn’t a waiter?” I said, as the term for chambermaid is camarera de habitación, or room waitress.

“No, he’s a camarero de habitación all right. Still, we mustn’t be sexist. Where’s Orihuela?”

“Between Alicante and Murcia. Too far to travel every day, I’m afraid.”

“Yes, and I want local people. Oh, well. Hmm, I’m not getting any applications for caretaker, maintenance man, gardener or chauffeur. I wonder why that is.”

“I think some of those people won’t be too hot on the computer.”

“Hmm, I’m sure we’ll miss some good workers by only advertising online.”

I tapped my forehead. “But you already have a caretaker, haven’t you?”

“Oh, that old man is just… well, let’s say he’s in charge of security or something. He wanted us to pay him in cash for keeping an eye on the place, so I’ll go on giving him his two hundred a month.” Her phone was still pinging away. “Waitress, receptionist, waiter… hmm, these people are on the ball, but–”

“Look!” I cried, unable to contain my excitement upon having one of my all too infrequent eureka moments.

“What? That’s Arturo, isn’t it?”

“Yes, he’s our man.”

“What for?”

“For maintenance man, gardener, chauffeur and whatever else you want him to be. Arturo’s a true man for all seasons, unless you don’t like the look of him.”

“Of course I do. He’s quite handsome and somehow… exotic. Very charming too, but doesn’t he like building work?”

“He likes it well enough, but I have a feeling that he won’t be sad to part company with Cristóbal. They tolerate each other, but Arturo’s a free spirit and he’s a rather bossy boss. I can ask him if he’s interested if you like.”

“All right, but later. Let’s get ready for our first manager interview.”

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