‘We could also spotlight individual perfumes or notes each week. You could take a classic like Chanel No. 19, for example, and tell the story of its creation and impact on iris perfumes. We could run perfume tutorials, lunchtime lectures, inviting customers to come in and sample, say, all the fruity-gourmand scents. Or,’ I said, warming to the subject, ‘we could focus on a single perfumer and introduce their work. For example, we could do a week of Christine Nagel perfumes. An education programme like that has a lot of potential, don’t you think? We could even have a bespoke perfume experience, where we match customers to fragrances based on their favourite smells. There are so many options.’

As I outlined more and more ideas I noticed that Anna’s attention was beginning to wane. She had smiled and nodded when I began but now she seemed distracted, and kept sneaking glances at her tablet. Perhaps I was out of time or maybe she’d decided that I wasn’t right for the job. Instead of slowing down and regaining her attention, I did what I often do in awkward situations: I prattled on.

‘Did you know,’ I said, ‘that there are more than two thousand perfume releases a year? That’s a lot of product. We need to focus on either mainstream or niche. Who is your customer base?’ I paused, took a breath, and continued without waiting for an answer. ‘Probably niche, right? Hard to access, expensive perfumes, sourced from independent makers around the world. We should definitely include the Australians, they’re doing some interesting work, especially the Melbourne perfumers.’ By this stage I was practically talking to myself, thinking aloud. ‘Then again,’ I said, ‘how does niche fit in with the corner dairy concept? I mean, some of those independent perfumes are $500 a bottle. Many attars are even more. Then again, customers might spend that much going to a test match or concert. How much do women pay at the hairdressers these days? Some people spend $40 to $50 on shampoo alone. We could include a few cheaper perfume brands, but the important thing is that we do something special with the perfume counter. I like the idea of a scent library, or a museum, rather than selling …’

Anna cleared her throat. ‘Actually, what are you like at selling things?’

From the moment I left The Corner Dairy I knew I’d blown the interview. I had only myself to blame. I’d been too eager to prove I was serious about perfume rather than serious about retail and I’d made such a fool of myself. No one was ever going to hire me if I came across as desperate. But I could have done that job, and done it well. More than that, I needed that job. What an idiot.