“Whoja wanta see?”
“The city editor.”
“Wha’ja wanta see him about?”
“A job.”
“No vacancies. No; no vacancies today. He says to say no vacancies today, see? You can’t go in there. He says no vacancies.”
“But can’t I even see him?”
“No; he don’t wanta see anybody. No vacancies.”
“Well, how about taking my name in to him?”
“Not if you’re lookin’ for a job. He says no vacancies.”
The tone and the manner were most disconcerting. To me, new to the city and rather overawed by the size of the buildings as well as the reputation of the editors and the publications themselves, this was all but final. For a little while after each rebuff I did not quite see how I was to overcome this difficulty. Plainly they were overrun with applicants, and in so great a city why would they not be? But what was I to do? One must get in or write or call up on the telephone, but would any city editor worthy the name discuss a man’s fitness or attempt to judge him by a telephone conversation or a letter?