Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane 1)

"So, youre the one who has been clogging my mail with tapes and résumés. Im sure, with all your ambition, youve researched us. Were the Seattle team for KCPO in Tacoma. We dont have an internship program here. "

"That what your letters said. "

"I know. I wrote them. " Leaning back in his chair, he wishboned his arms behind his head.

"Did you read my articles and watch my tapes?"

"Actually, thats why youre here. When I realized you werent going to stop sending me audition tapes, I figured I might as well watch one. "

"And?"

"And youll be good one day. Youve got that thing. "

One day? Will be?

"But youre a long way from ready. "

"Thats why I want this internship. "

"The nonexistent one, you mean. "

"Ill work twenty to thirty hours a week for free, and I dont care if I get college credit or not. Ill write copy, fact-check, do research. Anything. How can you go wrong?"

"Anything?" He was looking at her intently now. "Will you make coffee and vacuum and clean the bathroom?"

"Who does all that now?"

"Mutt and me. And Carol, when shes not following a story. "

"Then absolutely I will. "

"So youll do whatever it takes. "

"I will. "

He sat back, studying her closely. "You understand youd be a grunt, and an unpaid one at that. "

"I understand. I could work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. "

Finally he said, "Okay, Tallulah Hart. " He stood up. "Show me what you can do. "

"I will. " She smiled. "And its Tully. "

He walked her back through the office. "Hey, Mutt, this is our new intern, Tully Hart. "

"Cool," Mutt said, not looking up from the camera equipment in his lap.

At the door, Mr. Ryan paused and looked at her. "I hope you intend to take this job seriously, Ms. Hart. Or this is an experiment that will have a shorter shelf life than milk. "

"You can count on me, Mr. Ryan. "

"Call me Johnny. Ill see you Friday. Say eight A. M. ?"

"Ill be here. "

She played and replayed the encounter over and over in her head as she walked briskly down the street to the bus stop and caught a ride.

Shed actually made her own internship. Someday, when Phil Donahue interviewed her, shell tell this story to show her gutsy determination.