No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen

Author:Susin Nielsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2018-09-10T16:00:00+00:00

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“You two cut it awfully close,” said the woman sitting at a table just inside the doors. “One more minute and we would have turned you both away.”

“I apologize,” said Winnie.

“Me too. We’re usually very prompt.” I checked out the rest of the room. It was filled with folding chairs, and the chairs were filled with kids. At least forty of them.

“I need to see some ID, and your parental consent forms.” Luckily I’d packed all the documents I’d need into a folder the night before. I handed them to her now.

The woman gave us each a badge number that we had to pin to our shirts. “Wait over there until your name is called.”

I sat down. There was an empty chair beside me. But Winnie took one at the other end of the room, as far away from me as she could.

I got up and asked the woman at the desk if I had time to go to the washroom. She nodded, but told me to make it quick. I dashed down the hall and had a pee, then I scrubbed my hands for a good four minutes. I took a paper towel and wet it, then stuck it down my shirt and pants to wipe away some of the deodorant’s perfume. I ran my hands through my hair. I tried to pull my dress pants over my rubber boots so only the toes would show, but the pants were too narrow. I knew I looked like an idiot. I told myself I’d just have to own it, pretend it was part of my look.

They called people into the audition room in groups of fours. After an hour and a half, Winnie’s name was called, along with three others. I tried to give her the thumbs-up on her way past, but she refused to make eye contact.

I sat waiting, trying not to think of the gnawing hunger in my gut.

About twenty minutes later, the doors opened and Winnie stepped out with two of the other kids. She wouldn’t glance my way. But she looked miserable.

I stood up to go to her, but the man with the clipboard came out and said, “Alicia Jones, Sherman Wong, Felix Knutsson.”

My stomach twisted like a pretzel. I followed the other two into the adjoining room. It was bigger than the first, and they’d set up a sort of mock Who, What, Where, When set, with podiums for us to stand behind. There were buzzers at each spot. Two people stood behind studio-sized cameras, ready to tape us. A small group of men and women in suits sat behind a table in comfy leather swivel chairs.

Horatio Blass was not among them. I felt a surge of disappointment.

A girl from Winnie’s audition, Sari, had been asked to stay behind. She stood at the podium on the far right. I was guided to one of the middle podiums. I kept my armpits firmly at my sides so as little BO and/or deodorant would be released as possible.

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