Sandy had a session with her guidance counselor, Mrs Johnson, on morning break that day. She had made the appointment earlier in the week.
(Yes, it was an unusual display of initiative for Sandy. But it involved money!)
"Hello, Ms Gould," Mrs Johnson welcomed her into the office and moved to sit on her padded chair behind her desk. She was a bespectacled middle-aged woman. Her short brown hair had traces of gray and she wore a blouse and a skirt. "Please take a seat."
Sandy accepted the invitation and settled herself onto the wooden chair opposite the counselor.
Mrs Johnson retrieved a file from the top of a pile of paperwork on her desk. "Now, as I understand, you wish to get a work permit."
"Yes, Mrs Johnson," Sandy confirmed.
The counselor opened the file and glanced through it. "Have you found a job yet?"
"Not yet," Sandy replied, "I thought I should discuss it with you first."
"That's a good idea," Mrs Johnson commented as she flipped a page. "You should know that the work permit is employment-specific. So I can only get you one once you've found an employer. And should you change jobs, you'll need a new work permit."
"I understand, Mrs Johnson."
"Good, now..." There was an ominous pause. Mrs Johnson read a few pages quickly, going back and forth through the file. "Uh, Ms Gould, I'm afraid I can't approve a work permit for you."
Sandy sat straight. "What? Why?"
Mrs Johnson closed the file and placed it on the desk before her. She looked at the student. "I'm afraid your academic results were far below satisfactory. Your middle school grades weren't very good. I think that you should concentrate on your studies rather than seek employment."
"Isn't there anything you can do?" Sandy pleaded. That was an unexpected snag in her grand plan to gather riches for herself.
"Do you have any reason you need the job?" Mrs Johnson asked.
"Well... I want to buy good food, nice clothes..." When she had said it out loud, her reasons did not seem very convincing. "We don't get much at the orphanage and my allowance is so little."
Mrs Johnson thought her reasons were not convincing too. "I'm sorry, but I can't approve any work permit for you. Social Services provides you your needs so you don't have any pressing need for money." When she saw Sandy look down dejectedly, she added, "If you do well for your semester exams, I will reconsider letting you have a work permit."
Sandy's hope died a little when she realized that the semester exams were months away. Four-and-a-half months, if she bothered to read up the exact date and count the weeks. "How much better?"
"A B-average should be good enough," Mrs Johnson decided.
And that killed the rest of her hope. In fact, those words dragged Sandy's hope out the back and put a bullet through it. Getting a B-average was a tall order for someone who had been getting Cs and Ds for her exams.
"I see..." Sandy uttered.
"Now is there anything else I can help you with?" the counselor asked pleasantly.
"No, Mrs Johnson."
"Well then, thanks for coming." Mrs Johnson got up and escorted Sandy to the door. "Study hard, Ms Gould," the woman encouraged with a smile, "You'll get a good job one day if you do so."
"Yes, Mrs Johnson," Sandy mumbled.
Outside, Mrs Johnson looked at another other student who was seated in the waiting area. "Mr Jacobs, you may come in now." Her tone for that young man was much frostier.
Sandy dragged herself back to her classroom. Ariel, Esper and Selina were having a discussion at the back of the class in words she could not understand. It could be because they were too far for her to eavesdrop on with the other classmates talking, or it could be because they were not speaking in English. Whatever it was, Sandy was not concerned.
Instead, she slumped gloomily onto her seat near the front door. She planted her face on the textbook in the middle of her desk.
No job equaled no money. Disappointment...
"Hey, Sandy, what's wrong?" Ariel asked as she bent down beside her.
"Mrs Johnson said I can't get a work permit." Sandy pulled herself up. It appeared that her three classmates from the back of the class had moved next to her.
"A work permit?" Esper asked. "Why'd you need one?"
"A fourteen- or fifteen-year-old needs a work permit to get a part-time job," Ariel explained as she straighted up. She turned to Sandy. "Why didn't Mrs Johnson let you have one?"
"She thinks I should study instead," Sandy replied.
"She's right," Selina advised. "You should spend your time studying."
"Good grades isn't going get me money," Sandy stated.
"Maybe not now but it will in the future," Selina said, "You'll be able to get a good job with good education."
Sandy sighed. Her plan to earn money failed before it even started. Maybe her wealth was somewhere else. But where could it be?
Then the bell rang, signaling the end of break.
***
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