“Brent failed your test. He let me eat three cupcakes, couldn’t obtain the moon, and danced like a washing machine with a loose wheel. We had a great time. Stop treating people like experiments.”
I burst out laughing.
Then I saw Sheldon’s reply. “Understood. We need to talk.”
Suddenly, I was nervous again.
“We need to talk.”
Monday morning, Sheldon called me into his office.
He looked uncomfortable. “How was prom? We never got to talk when you brought Georgia back.”
“Educational.”
He sighed. “Georgia told you, didn’t she?”
“Yep, everything.”
“How was prom?”
Sheldon covered his face. “I should’ve known she couldn’t keep a secret.”
I sat across from him. “Sir, why didn’t you just ask me whether I wanted to apply for the position?”
He looked at me. “Because I wasn’t sure you’d believe you were ready.”
“Honestly, I’m still not sure.”
“That’s why you’ll receive training.”
“She couldn’t keep a secret.”
My boss explained that the new location would open in six months.
He wanted me to train with Marcus, the current operations manager, to learn about scheduling, inventory, and supplier management.
If I performed well, I’d interview for the management position.
Then, he showed me the salary range.
He wanted me to train with Marcus.
I nearly fell out of my chair!
It was enough to help Mom properly and start saving for my future!
But I still had something to say. “Sir, I appreciate this. But using Georgia’s prom to test me wasn’t fair.”
Sheldon nodded. “You’re right, but it was more than that. I didn’t tell my daughter, but I asked you to be her date because I wanted to see how you’d treat my most precious person: Georgia. If you could handle her, I knew you could handle anything.”
I nearly fell out of my chair!
I couldn’t help but tear up.
“It was an honor, sir. But if you want to know how I handle pressure, you can watch me at work.”
My boss smiled. “I already have.”
Then he offered his hand. “No more surprise tests.”
I shook it. “Good. Because I still haven’t figured out how to get Georgia the moon.”
He laughed.
I couldn’t help but tear up.
Six months later, I completed my training and earned the management position.
Mom cried when I told her I passed the interview!
Janelle immediately asked whether we could finally replace our washing machine.
“Yes,” I said.
She raised both arms. “BEST PROM EVER!”
I completed my training.
Georgia and I stayed friends.
When the new location opened, she gave me a framed prom photo.
It showed me attempting that terrible dance move while she laughed beside me.
Underneath, she’d written:
“Employee of the Month: Survived One Prom, Three Cupcakes, and a Very Strange Boss.”
Georgia and I stayed friends.
I hung it in my office.
Because that night taught me something.
Sometimes, people recognize your potential before you do.
But if you’re going to tell someone they deserve a promotion, a normal conversation works just fine.
I hung it in my office.
You really don’t need a school dance, a borrowed suit, and a boss who thinks getting the moon is a reasonable management challenge.
However, it made for a great story about how I became a manager after working for a year.
You really don’t need a school dance.
