Mo wasn’t sure where to start, so he did what he had been doing, and wandered the streets for a while. The man who yelled at him about money, was called his landlord, and since he had told him about the studios, Mo headed that general direction.
He learned that studios were in charge of creating “movies.” He was familiar with the concept, since his people had inadvertently received a movie transmission not long before Mo’s flight. Mo understood these movies to be fake, unless he was mistaken and there actually was an Emerald City somewhere, and men made of tin and talking lions wandering a golden road. He didn’t think there was.
The sun continued to rise as Mo began to sweat from his face. He wasn’t sure where the studio was, exactly, but just up ahead he saw a big sign that said “Universal.” For a moment, his heart skipped a beat, thinking this Universal place may have rockets and inter-galaxy travel, but when he approached the gate, he realized it was only a movie studio. Disappointment washed over him, but joy did as well, since he could ask around here for a job. He approached the security guard.
“Hello,” Mo said. “Is this where I can get a job?”
The security guard twisted his face in a way Mo hadn’t seen before. “Buddy, are you kidding?”
“No.” Mo was confused.
“You gotta go in and pick up an application.”
“Go in?” Mo asked.
The security guard pointed to a large building just below the oversized “Universal” sign.
Mo nodded and the security guard went back to reading a newspaper.
Mo had to walk precisely 400 more steps and turn a corner to find the entrance to the large building, but he finally did, pulling open the double doors and stepping into the much cooler lobby. He headed for the desk, where a nice, older woman was sitting, reading the same newspaper as the security guard.
“Hello,” Mo said.
The woman set the paper down and adjusted her thick glasses. “How can I help you?” She asked.
“I’m looking for an application for a job.” Mo thought he had strung together the right combination of words, and waited eagerly on the woman’s response.
“Of course,” she said. Her head momentarily disappeared under the desk, and Mo heard rustling noises, before the returned with a sheet of paper and a pen. “You can fill it out here if you’d like.” She pointed to a couple of chairs encircling a small, round table in the corner of the room.
Mo took the supplies and headed for the most comfortable looking chair. The paper was overwhelming. So many questions. So many things Mo didn’t understand. He was re-reading unfamiliar words when, thankfully, a man approached to distract him.
“Hey sonny,” the older man said. He had slick hair and a fancy outfit on, with buttons and shiny shoes and a thing around his neck that didn’t look comfortable at all. “I hear you’re looking for a job?”
Mo nodded.
“I like your build, and you seem tough.” He pointed to the markings all over Mo’s arms.
“Uh… thanks?”
“How’d you like to work security? Easy job, really. Just gotta keep all the noise out, you know?”
Noise? Mo was not familiar with auditory repression techniques, but he was determined to obtain a job, and this man appeared to be pleased with whatever qualifications Mo had, so he went along with it.
“Sure,” Mo said.
“Great. Follow me, we can get you started today.”
Mo left the paper and pen on the small table and did as he was told.