I looked down. “There were a lot of things I enjoyed about working in finance. And of course, there were things I didn’t. When I was there, before the recession, the only thing that mattered was making money. I don’t know,” I said and shrugged. “I grew up very poor. Money intrigued me, as though I didn’t really believe some people actually had it, which is part of what led me to choosing the major I did.” I shifted in the seat. “When the recession hit, I lost my job along with almost everyone else at the company. I received a small severance package and collected unemployment until I found a job with a family selling imported wines from Italy, France, and Greece. It was about as far from finance as I could have gotten. It wasn’t a career and I didn’t make much money there, but it was kind of fun organizing wine tastings and selling our imports to stores and shops, which was challenging in its own way. But then the market got even worse and the family fell into trouble with the IRS because of tax evasion. I stayed with them until they went out of business a few months later. Through the contacts I made there, I was able to drive a truck for a beverage distributor, which is what I did.”

“With the succession of jobs you’ve held, it kind of seems as though you’re heading in a somewhat antithetical direction, don’t you think?”

I shrugged. “It’s been a tough economy. I did what I had to do.”

“For us as well. The position we’re trying to fill was originally done by five people. Now there’ll be just two of you.”

“I’m up for the challenge if you are,” I said and again smiled, trying to put the glint in my eye that I had practiced many times in the mirror, the very glint that said I was a hardworking, honest man who could be trusted in good times and bad.

Cathy returned my smile and made a note on my résumé. “So you haven’t worked since May. Though I think I already know the answer, what have you done since then?”

“I mostly looked for work. Trying to find a job in New York right now is like trying to find the Holy Grail, or so it was for me. When I wasn’t looking for work I was writing a book. I love reading and writing, which is why I want to be an editor now.”

“Well, that certainly makes sense,” she said and scribbled something else. As before, I couldn’t see what it was. “Here’s just a silly question I like to ask sometimes. What is it that you’re most proud of?”