2023 T2 Nan Hua Comprehension

Big fat drops started falling from the sky, quickly forming puddles on the road surface. Several people hurriedly held their briefcases above their heads and hastened for shelter. Bob looked up in dismay. Ditching his initial plan of waiting for a bus, he followed them. Trust it to rain on the day of his job interview!

There was a time when he could splurge on luxuries. Unfortunately, he could not afford to do so after being jobless for the past few years. This job, if he clinched it, would turn the tables. No more eating microwave food for dinner; finally, a decent meal for his family. All he had to do was pass the interview. To do that, he needed to make an excellent first impression. How could he do it if he was late? Luckily, the unrelenting pelts of rain masked the hot tears that were flowing down his cheeks, away from prying eyes. He was desperate to get to that job interview.

Pushing his way through throngs of people, Bob ran to the nearest shelter he could find, which happened to be the train station. “My previous plan didn’t work, but perhaps I could still make it if I take the train,” he thought. An elderly lady accidentally knocked into him, causing the contents of his briefcase to fall out. “I’m sorry, I didn’t...” she said. Bob cut her off, gesturing it was fine and hurriedly gathered his things. Once he reached the platforms, he was crestfallen when he saw that notices had been put up everywhere informing of a ten-minute delay. Time dragged by in an excruciatingly slow manner. Many people around him were tapping their feet, checking their watches while some were trundling their trolley bags along the platform.

Ten minutes came and went. Something was wrong. The floor was flooded. The pipes had burst and water began gushing out. The ceiling was leaking. Panic ensued, followed by a chaotic rush to the exits where a bottleneck had formed. As Bob made his way to the exit, he saw the elderly lady who had knocked into him earlier. She was obviously struggling to hobble along amidst the commotion, clutching her walking stick with her frail hands for her dear life. Fear was written clearly on her face.

Though it would slow him down further, his heart went out to the old lady. “Auntie, let me help you,” he muttered and without waiting for a reply, he placed her hand on his right arm. She was jittery at first but her tense muscles soon relaxed. After some time, they made it out of the flooded platform. Not wanting to forsake the old lady, he decided to help her to her destination.  After all, there was no way he could make it for his interview now.

Noticing his obvious gloom, she asked, “Son, why do you look so sad?” Bob sobbed bitterly, “I have been jobless for years. Finally, I was going to go for a promising interview today but the heavy rain ruined everything! Maybe I am just a failure. That’s why no one wants to employ me.” He could almost hear his wife chiding him for saying that. “You are a talented and hard worker. No one has discovered that about you yet. That’s all,” she would say.

The lady replied, “Don’t worry. You are a decent man. I am sure things will work out for you once the financial crisis the country is facing is over.” Hearing her encouraging words, he brightened up. The skies had cleared up by then as well. “This is my destination,” the lady said.

The words “Zane and Zane Law Firm” caught Bob’s attention. Having been lost in his thoughts, Bob had not realised where he was heading. “This was where my interview was supposed to have been!” He remarked as an immaculately-dressed young man rushed out to meet the old lady.