W: The Planner, The Chosen (2 page)

A
t 7:00 A.M. on Monday Kris pulled up to the gates of the Federal Municipal Planning Division. The instructions for this final interview were that she must arrive for check-in and screening a full hour before her interview actually began. Nineteen years in business had taught Kris to take instructions seriously, and as a frequent volunteer in a leadership position for many civic organizations, she was accustomed to breakfast meetings. Still, Kris was not a terribly punctual person. As she steered the car up to the guard house, she wondered how much of an adjustment a job like this was really going to be.

“Stop,” the unsmiling face at the guard house ordered.  “Do you have business in this facility?”

“Yes, I am here for my final interview with…”

“What is your name?” the guard was reviewing a computerized log of expected visitors.

“Kristina Mitchell. I am interviewing with the Planning Division for the Planner I job.”

“I need to see your identification and proof of insurance.” Kris was used to the drill, and she already had these items ready for inspection. 

“Proceed through the gates; park in lot C. Enter the building through the entrance on that side.” The face handed back her ID and never changed from his monotone. The heavy iron gate rolled open, and Kris drove through it and found a space in Parking lot C.

On the side of the building that the guard had indicated, Kris could see that a line had formed. She wondered how many applicants were being interviewed this morning. The thought depressed her. She had felt really confident about this job; surely all of these people were not here to interview for the same job for which she had applied. 

Quietly she took her place at the back of the line. She had picked up her black suit from the dry cleaners two days earlier. Since this was a government job, she had limited her jewelry to a simple pair of gold earrings and one ring—a wide gold band which Ben had given her one year as a Christmas present. The ring sort of resembled an avant-garde wedding band, but as there had never been a wedding for Kris, she wore it on her right hand. As she stood in the line, her new black three-inch pointy-toed pumps began to pinch her feet. She shifted her weight from foot to foot trying to make herself a little more comfortable.

She looked at her watch; the time was now 7:35.  No wonder the instructions said to get here early—it had taken her thirty minutes to move a few feet into the building. She started thinking that if she had known she was going to have to stand in a line like this she would have worn more comfortable shoes. But at last she was inside, and the metal detector and X-ray equipment offered momentary relief for her feet—she had to take off her shoes before going through the metal detectors.  Another unsmiling officer searched her purse before handing it back to her.  Kris forced the shoes back onto her feet and tried not to wince as she headed for the elevators with the identification pass she had just been given.

The elevator stopped on the fifth floor and opened to the offices of the Federal Municipal Planning Division.  Kris stepped out of the elevator and walked to the reception desk. 

“I am Kris Mitchell,” she introduced herself to the twenty-something girl facing her. “I have an 8:00 interview with Leonard Scott and Pat Kilmer.”

“Take a seat over there,” the girl answered without looking up. “Director Scott and Ms. Kilmer will be with you shortly.”

As Kris sat down on the couch in the waiting area, she went over everything she knew about the Federal Municipal Planning Division in her head. She had researched the department on-line, but she had not been able to find out much about this position. She had practiced this interview when she was alone by trying to think of what questions they might ask and how she would answer them. As she tried to calm her nervousness, she thought that she was just really grateful right now that Ben had insisted on having the note to their home just in his name so that the foreclosure did not appear on her credit report. That by itself would have disqualified her from consideration for a federal job….

“Ms. Mitchell, Director Scott will see you now.” The receptionist rose from her desk and directed Kris down a hallway and into a small conference room. Kris had barely taken her seat when Leonard Scott entered the room followed by Pat Kilmer. Scott was a balding, fat, unpleasant man of average height and about forty-five years of age. His suit was about two sizes too small, and the jacket buttons strained against his stomach. But it was his eyes that really bothered Kris—they were tiny, hard-looking lashless eyes that gazed upon the world without interest or expression. If the eyes really are the windows to the soul, Kris suspected that Leonard Scott might actually be soul-less.

Behind him followed Pat Kilmer. Pat was older than Leonard—maybe late fifties. She had probably worked in some sort of private enterprise, most likely a sales job, before going to work for the federal government. That would explain her exaggerated attempt to be friendly and her smile that was a little too big. Pat was an average height and weight, with an average hair length of an average shade of brown, but something about her appearance told Kris that in Pat’s younger years she had actually been very pretty, and her overall behavior seemed to indicate that over the years she had used her appearance to further her career and to seduce the Leonard Scotts of the world in exchange for jobs, promotions, and pay raises.

“We have completed all of the background checks,” Pat began, “Everything came back fine. Tell me, Kris, why are you interested in this position?”

Kris had felt certain that this question would come up, so she had really thought about her answer so as not to blurt out the obvious, “Because I’m broke and I need a job.”  Instead, she gave the answer she had rehearsed alone in Nick’s townhouse, “You know from looking at my resume that I have spent my entire career in real estate. The posted position for this job describes it as an opportunity to work with the community in a ‘ground-breaking’ new program.  I was intrigued. The job description says that it requires an ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both one-on-one and in groups, and the ability to problem solve.  I have spent nineteen years in sales, so I know how to talk to people one-on-one, and I was in theatre and on the debate team in college, so I am comfortable speaking to people in groups.  I have strong written communication skills, and I can stay with a project from beginning to completion. The skill sets that you described fit my experience exactly. Although I have to tell you,” Kris paused and smiled, “I did as much research for this position as I could on-line, and I still don’t know what a Level I Planner does exactly.”

“That’s because both the job title and the job itself have never existed before. We used the term ‘ground-breaking’ to describe this position because that is exactly what it is.” Leonard Scott leaned forward. “The current Administration is committed to solving the greatest problems of our time—climate change, sustainability, the deficit, the impending crisis stemming from shortfalls in Social Security and Medicare, healthcare, and the problems that our nation faces as a result of an aging population. We are implementing a plan that will address all of these issues and will revolutionize the way that this country looks at retirement. Rather than continuing on in a bankrupt, broken system that meets the needs of no one, we are going to introduce American seniors to a new way of life—a holistic community that will engage them like nothing ever has before. The position we are interviewing you for is a Level I Planner for Division 1 of Section W. You will be responsible for holding group meetings for seniors to explain how the new retirement system will work. You will help them complete all of the paperwork, and you will assist them as they transition into the new Smart Seniors Communities. You will be their liaison after the transfer—making sure that they understand the rules of the community and helping them resolve any issues that come up.

“Are you familiar with Smart Growth and New Urbanism?” he continued. 

Kris nodded, “Yes, it is based on the idea that rather than building out we need to restore the inner cities, make better use of land area, and incorporate more parks and green spaces. I actually represented a Scottsdale builder who had designed a community based on Smart Codes. It was a very eco-friendly project.”

“We are taking the Smart Growth concept one step further. The Retire America Act of 2013 established the Federal Municipal Planning Division to create a new type of retirement community based on Smart Growth principles.  We are calling it Smart Seniors. Does that sound like something that interests you?”

“Yes, it does.”

“This is not just your normal federal job, Kris,” Pat spoke up. “This position has incredible opportunity for growth and promotion. Section W is the first community of its kind anywhere in the U.S. After fifteen months of planning and research, the Department chose Arizona because the wind and sunshine make it a perfect place to begin to strategically utilize clean, renewable energy in a meaningful way on a scale that has never before been tested.  Scottsdale is a retirement area—we have a large block of seniors here, and that was also a consideration. The Level I Planner position will require a person who can sell seniors on the benefits of living in the Smart Seniors community—people are naturally afraid of change, and as we age we tend to fear change more. One of the most important aspects of your job is to help seniors allay those fears and embrace the incredible opportunities that these communities afford. Once this community has been filled and is running smoothly, the Administration will be setting up sustainable communities patterned after it all over the U.S.  Level I Planners who excel will be promoted to Level II and eventually to Level III and transferred to other parts of the U.S. to supervise setting up those communities. The experience you gain here will be invaluable as you move forward in other parts of the country.”

“Kris,” Leonard Scott looked at her from across the table, “we are hiring a group of people who will take part in helping the U.S. achieve the most radical change it has ever seen. This is not just change you can believe in, it’s change you can touch and see and feel. We are ready to make you a part of this team, if you are ready to join us.”

“I’m ready.” This was the moment she had been waiting for. She still knew just about as little about her future employment as she had when she first entered the room, but it was a job and a paycheck, and that was what mattered. Selling housing is selling housing—no matter how Leonard Scott tried to dress it up and make it sound radical and transformational, it was still the same profession she had always worked in. The only difference was that instead of working for weeks without any commissions and nearly starving to death, she could count on getting paid.

“There is one other key part of this position, Kris. And, I have to tell you—this really separates the people we select from the hundreds of people, some of whom are actually very well qualified, who apply. Because what we are doing is so innovative, we require that all Planners lead by example. That means that in order to get this job, you are required to move into a Level I Smart Growth Community yourself.”

“You mean I have to move to the retirement community?” Kris was surprised. At this point she really didn’t care since she was currently pretty much homeless, but it did seem a little odd to force a forty-one year old to move into a community of retirees.

“No, not at all,” Scott answered smoothly.  “The Smart Seniors project is located in the W section. W is only for specially-selected, previously-identified population groups—in this case seniors. But your employment will require that you immediately—and by immediately I mean within one week of your hire date—take up permanent residence in a Smart Community for federal employees. That community is located in Section FE. We require this because you are going to be living essentially the same lifestyle you are selling. You can help the seniors make the transition to healthy, environmentally-responsible, stress-free living by showing them through your own example that Smart Communities provide a superior lifestyle for all generations.  Is that going to be a problem?”

“It’s not a problem for me. My lease on my townhouse is over,” Kris lied, but she told herself that she wasn’t really lying since Nick had kicked her out. “I can move immediately to wherever I need to go. Where do I get a copy of the lease application?”

“Your signature on this employment agreement is your lease application,” Pat handed her the form. “Your housing unit will be assigned to you, and the monthly lease will be deducted from your pay. That’s part of what is so great about this. All you have to do is unpack.”

“That won’t take long,” Kris thought, but she didn’t say it. Instead, she asked, “Where do I sign, and when can I start?”

“Sign on the last page. Be sure to sign the confidentiality agreement. Our work here, while certainly not classified, does require discretion. You will be dealing with intimate aspects of people’s lives and personal finances.  You will also be exposed to confidential information within the FE community. Specifically, the confidentiality agreement states that you will not report the details of your work on any social networking sites and that you will not discuss specific aspects of your job with any person except your immediate supervisor—Pat. You will not make remarks, positive or negative, about the federal government or the current Administration or any policy or person connected in any way to this Administration on-line or in conversation.  You will not at any time make disparaging remarks about the Smart Growth Community concept, or Smart Seniors, or any individual living within your community.  To violate this agreement will result in the immediate termination of your employment and will require that you pay back all sums you have received as a federal employee in this project.  Do you understand?”