Oh Man!

Here I am again. I am writing on the thoughts of Zinsser the man who is bold enough to write a book titled On Writing Well! But I have to give it to the man, he always comes through. This particular chapter deals with people and the interview process. I think my favorite part is where he reminds us to bring many pencils and something to write on. The reason I like this is because I have been the manager of numerous businesses and I will tell you this that if an applicant comes in to fill out an application without a pen I WON'T HIRE THEM. This is the same mentality that Zinsser is stressing to us writers "Be prepared." As a writer leaving the house without a pen or an electronic device to write down a bit of interesting dialogue that we hear as we cross the street should be punishable by law. Okay, so, I'm going a bit far but if you are a writer, especially one that is doing interviews, show the people respect. Zinsser stresses this when he says that "Writing is a public trust." It should be. Creatively moving a quote around here or there is no big deal, but changing what the meaning of interviewees point is, is absolutely wrong.

"I only got this job because I'm a woman," my friend Heather says.
"Not true."
"Yes, it is. I don't feel real bad about it in the scheme of things...you know, men usually get the jobs I want. But, in this case I think Brian and Rob are both better qualified. They have both been doing radio for two years and they sound better than me."
"Why do you say that?" I ask, sipping at my Coca-Cola.
"Brian has been doing my job already, should have gotten it and I did. He is kind of a bitch to me about it."
"He'll come around in a month or two."
I've never heard her talk this way. Heather has wanted to a better radio market for years and now that she has, she doesn't think she is good enough. Crazy talk, if you ask me. But I let her indulge, because if I know anything about human nature is when someone is kicking themselves you just gotta let them do it, because if you don't they'll also start punching.
"I don't know, I really don't," she says as she plays with her rice and beans.
"I understand that you feel this way, but I think once you get comfortable..."
"No. I am not good enough. Did you listen to me the  yesterday?"
I hadn't. Although, I had the day prior.
"Yes, you were great!"
"Really?"
This was the first light that I had seen in her eyes all dinner. She wanted to hear she was great, she trusted me, but I knew there was nothing I could do but that didn't stop my determination.
"Yes, you were really good."
"You are just saying that because you are my friend."
She was still looking at me, hoping that friendship was not the cause of my admiration.
"If you weren't good I wouldn't have said anything."
This made her laugh.I smiled at her.
To be totally honest, my friendship is not the source of my admiration, but my admiration the source of the friendship. Although she has been a DJ for years I have never heard her speak so candidly about her fears and insecurities, which to be selfish I must say made me feel a bit better about my own self-deprecating nature toward my writing.