The Strangest First Day at Work Ever

I was fresh to Maryland and needed a solid job with benefits. I had an interview with the guy I would be working for, and it appeared to go well. Mostly he spoke about himself and how he got into the land sales industry. He told me he had been at the seminary for many years and had intended on becoming a priest, but now he was happily married with two kids. He adored being in land sales. He actually built a name for himself: Landman.

I received the job, a start date, and showed up in my excellent heels and first-day clothing. Landman stated the best way to learn about the property was to go visit it. The next thing I knew, we were in his vehicle. He drove, and I took careful notes as he briefed me about the firm and what I‘d be doing.

We went to several properties and took photos. We met the landowners, and we traveled in all directions in numerous counties. After a time, I had no clue where I was or what county I was in.

I glanced at my phone a few times to examine the maps, but because I was new to the region, I was having difficulties gaining my bearings.

We stopped for lunch, and he paid. Other than the final day's farewell, I had never had a supervisor buy me lunch before. Did I owe him anything because he bought me lunch? After lunch, he wanted to show me an old Boy Scout camp, and we traveled into a fairly remote region.

Soon we came up to a vast section of lonesome woodland area with a massive chain and padlock fence protecting the entry. As Landman began working on the padlocked gate to this 80-acre remote property, the danger bells went off in my thoughts.

What the heck had I gotten myself into? I was starting to wonder whether I had made a mistake in choosing this job. I checked again on my phone, and the battery was practically gone.

He had problems getting the padlock open at first, and I was nearly relieved. But gosh, he did pull it open, and we drove into this lonely acreage. I questioned whether this guy was safe. What precisely were his aims here?

Landman informed me of the history of this land; it had been a Boy Scout camp. But now, it had been abandoned for several years, and they were hoping to develop the property.

I was asking myself how I had gotten into this situation and what I really knew about this man. A priest; he said he studied to be a priest.

By this time, we were way back on the property and well away from the road. I realized there was no way I would be able to run away from this situation in these shoes, and certainly, we were too far away from anything for me to outrun this man. I again looked at my phone with its 2 percent battery.

He began telling me the story of how he had gotten stuck in the mud one day on a property like this. We were now miles away from civilization, and I could see two old outbuildings up a small hill with a dirt road going behind them

Oh my God, what if we got stuck in the mud today? Or worse? My alarm bells were now ringing loud and clear. I checked my phone again and noticed barely 1 percent remained on my battery. Here I was in the middle of nowhere with a guy I didn’t know.

While attempting to pull the automobile out of the mud, he splashed himself with particles of mud.

Panic was setting in, and I started thinking about how I could get out of this situation if he tried anything. What the heck did I know about this guy anyway? He worked for a reputable company, in a nice office, had a wife and kids, and used to be a priest.

Landman liked to tell stories, and he hadn’t caught on that my alarm bells were ringing in full force at this point. “The mud got everywhere, all over my expensive suit, shirt, and shoes.”

I told myself he wouldn’t do anything to me because I could sue the company. Unlike my younger working days, there were now laws against sexual harassment.

But the reality was no one would sue, because I’d be dead, and no one would ever find my body.

I had no idea where I was, or where the camp was, and I was sure he was going to kill me and leave my body behind one of the old outbuildings. I looked again at my phone and debated if I should call 911 while I still had some battery left. And when I was still living.

I kept reminding myself this guy used to be a priest. He won’t do anything to me. He won’t endanger his job. He is a dad. He was planning to be a priest, and he is harmless.

Landman stated he eventually got out of the muck and drove directly to Joseph A. Banks. He stepped in and informed the sales clerk, “I need another set of… all this.” He laughed and laughed at his own joke. He resumed his narrative.

I resumed my phrase. He won’t endanger his job. He is a dad. He was planning to be a priest, and he is harmless. We kept driving through the camp, ultimately going back out to the road and the massive padlock gate.

We didn’t get stuck in the mud, and he didn't touch me. He just “entertained” me with one of his wacky tales. We left the camp and walked back to the office. He was oblivious about the anxiety going on inside of me and the happiness I’d felt we were no longer at the camp.

His weird tales continued, and I stopped worried as we were now back in society. An hour later, I was back in the firm office with other workers, and it seemed like a conventional first day at the workplace again.

At the end of the day, I arrived home fatigued. When asked, “How was your day?” I replied, “It’s going to be a bumpy ride!”