October 16, 2015.

I’m slowly re-integrating myself into society. Unlike last month, I started spending time out of my apartment. I resume jogging around park and it’s been a week since I started looking for work. Last week, I finally filed for unemployment benefits. The staff there reminded me I have to be actively looking for work. So here I am, going through the job ads online and in the papers.

I don’t know what’s more depressing:

filling for unemployment,

or

looking for work.

Hmmm.. I read an online article.

The mayor announced a city sponsored job fair for tomorrow at Square Garden. The Towers Job Expo will have 200+ employers accepting resumes and conducting onsite interviews. I guess I’ll show up for it.

October 17, 2015.

The next day, I get up at the usual 7:05 a.m. I pick out a wool suit from my closet. I’ll need to dress warmly. It IS October, after all. I bring a stack of 50 resumes, printed on nice and pricey bond paper. I check myself in the mirror one last time before I leave. Gotta make sure my tie isn’t crooked.

I head out.

I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I just got out of Station at 33rd Street and 7th Ave. It’s not even 8 a.m. But I’m seeing a huge line of people,

and I do mean H-U-G-E.

There must be at least 2 thousand people on line right now. That’s two thousand job seekers ahead of me. There are barriers setted up to direct the flow of the line. With a heavy sigh, I search for the back of the line. After a few minutes of passing long lines of people, I finally manage to get in line. Man, talk about depressing! it up, Bbom! You got plenty of people in the same boat and there are two thousand people who get here earlier than you did. I pass the time by looking at people in the line. I see someone passing out flyers. I take one. It’s for a sales job for an insurance company.

Urmm.. I’ll pass.

Another person passes out business cards. This one’s for resume assistance.

No thanks.

Man, am I going to receive these handouts for the next few hours? That would , big time. I take out a newspaper and start reading to pass the time.

*****

“I don’t want to go back downtown. I got out of the South Tower before it collapsed.” A lady near me have spoken. 

“I’m not going back down there and be a sitting duck for another terrorist attack.”

I look up from my paper.

I see the speaker’s companion, another lady, nod in agreement.

*****

It’s 12 noon.

I finally made it inside Square Garden. Unfortunately, we’re directed to ANOTHER line. Oh Lord! How much longer do we have to wait? There better be a lot of prospective employers showing up at the job fair!

*****

I finally walk in at 12:25 p.m. I study the chart handed to me. It contains a map of the locations of the companies. Hmm.. I see some familiar company names.

Let’s go have a look! I slowly make my way to the tables.

*****

Man, it’s crowded here and tough to walk through. I listen to the company represe