‘As I stood in front of the immigration officer, I was already worrying about my answers to the questions he might ask’.
As I stood in front of the immigration officer, I was already worrying about my answers to the questions he might ask. What would I say if—when—he asked, ‘Why are you coming here?’ And what would I do if they didn’t let me in? I tried to be calm and to compose myself.
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‘I think there should be a National Service of Hospitality. The best way to see the true face of humanity is to serve it a plate of chips.’
Camilla Grudova on bad-mannered customers.
‘Anyone who has ever worked night shifts will understand the vertiginous feeling that comes with staring down the day from the wrong end.’
A.K. Blakemore on working nights.
‘I was constantly reading job ads, trying to find my holy grail – a job I could stand to do, and someone foolish enough to hire me.’
Sandra Newman on learning how to play professional blackjack.
‘I loved being a receptionist. What I loved about it was playing the part of being a receptionist.’
Emily Berry on being a temporary office worker.
‘Every part of you would swell, including your eyeballs, and no matter how much water you drank, you were always dehydrated.’
Junot Díaz on working for a steel mill.
I come from a generation which still, fifty-odd years on, looks up and once in a while thinks, 'Good, one of ours.'
‘There had been an unbelievable amount of talk about the weather, not to mention the end of the world and so on’.
As I stood in front of the immigration officer, I was already worrying about my...
As I stood in front of the immigration officer, I was already worrying about my...
