Never Judge A Book By The Cover

This is how it happened make no mistakes my life was pretty stagnet and I didn’t have much ambition for things to change but Oh, how they did.

See I take the metro to and from work everyday. I work second shift at a local diner, and collect tips at a standard 2.13 an hour as a server. I live on the 3rd floor in a studio apartment in Washington D.C. on a good day it takes about two hours for me to make it home after work, and sometimes even longer to get to work because of rush hour traffic.

When I get off the metro I have to walk 2 city blocks to the diner and through the alley to the side door which takes about an additional 8 minutes. This I have been doing for 3 years everyday since my internship ended at the White House.

About that so I was in college 4 years for a political science degree. I had ambition, goals, and a desire to be President, or some one with political power that could make a difference in the world. During my studies at the University of Southern California I had a grand opportunity arise my senior year to do an internship at the White House, a cap stone program offered for those in my degree field. I wouldn’t get paid but the promise was to have a hands on point of view in politics.

I was thrilled at the opportunity and could hardly wait for that summer to begin.

First day at the White House I was like a kid in a candy story. They took all the interns on a tour and I ensured to nod, shake hands, and introduce myself to everyone I encountered in hopes they remember me. “Good Morning Sir,” “Good Morning Ma’am” My name is Jake Harper, I’m an intern from the University of Southern California.” I literally stated the same phrase everyday for 3 months straight. Until someone finally responded Jake Harper from University of Southern California now that you’ve been interning here at the White House for 3 months follow me. It was an agent I had been greeting him with a nod and my usual phrase through the same corridor day after day at the same time. I was confused no one else in my group was called out, but I followed the man in black, we ended up in the west wing. He greets another man in black in front of the Oval Office, he shakes my hand and I nod and state my usual phrase, “Good Morning Sir, my name is Jake Harper, I am an intern from the University of Southern California.” Then the man knocks on the door of the Oval Office. I hear, “Come In, and Welcome.” My mouth wanted to hit the floor it was the President of the United States. I usually would have stated my usual phrase as I did everyone I encountered but I was literally speechless, and star struck. The President then says, Good Morning Jake Harper I hear your an intern here from the University of Southern California, is that right?” I reply,” Yes, sir.” The President goes on to explain he’s a secret alumni from the University, and how excited he was to find out about my internship. We talked, and I tell him about my dream of Presidency one day and the impact I’d like to make on the world. He laughs tells me to keep dreaming, and how it’s not at all what it’s cracked up to be. He ensures me I would make just as great of an impact on the world without being President, he told me every grey hair he inquired came from his current job, and he’s only guaranteed the seat for four years. I laughed it off and said, “I am up for the task.”

At the end of that Summer, my intership ended, and I felt well equipped to begin my journey in politics. However I wasn’t offered a job for the White House, so in order to stay in Washington D.C I needed to find a paying job, which is how I started working at the nearby diner, now I had a choice I could have went back to California, and completed a graduate degree, or found a job at some local state government agency. I’m sure I could have found something after my internship and talk with the President, but I knew I didn’t want to do anything else.

So here I am trying month after month that turned into year after year to gain a position at the White House with absolutely no offers. Then this happened.

I was leaving the diner at the same time going my usual route as I always did, but this time as I walk up to the metro stop I see a little black book on the ground. I instantly recognize the imblem, it’s the seal of the United States Government, I quickly pick it up. I think to myself this has to belong to someone important it’s authentic leather, and it’s engraving is carved. I’m thinking to myself I have to get this book back to the White House. This time the metro ride seemed to take longer then ever, I suppose it was due to the fact I was so anxious as to who could have lost this book of great importance. As I walk home which also seemed to be the longest walk of my life. I’m pondering should I open it, and read it, or just return it. Getting to the 3rd floor of my studio apartment seemed to be taking forever. I finally arrived and opened the door, I set the book on the island in my kitchen, and begin looking up contacts in my phone from my internship, co-interns that could possibly give me advice. By this time it’s midnight, and I know it’s too late to call anyone, so I decided I’d wait. The anxiety was killing me, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep with the pressure. So I decided to open the book, and that’s when it happened my life changed forever.

Inside the book read : Congratulations! Jake Harper you have been selected as the personal representative to the President of the United States. The previous president has personally recommended you, and apologizes for the delay but could not have offered you the position sooner because of conflict of interest being his personal envolvement as an alumni at your University. We know you are the right fit for the job. We watch you never give up, we followed you through out your internship, and the remainder of the last Presidents term. You never switched up, you remained consistent, and we know we can count on you. Below you will find a check this is your sign on bonus 20,000.00. We hope you accept the offer, and report to duty first thing in the morning.