Song fixed up the laptop in under an hour.

“The RAM was loose,” she said. “That’s why it wasn’t starting up. There wasn’t much on the drive, so I copied it all onto this flash stick. It’ll take an hour or two to do a clean reinstall of the system, and then I can copy all this back across.”

“I didn’t understand word of that,” said Mandla, smiling. “And that’s why I need you!”

“Thank you,” said Song, and hesitated. “Um. I already have a job, though. I don’t think I could work for you all the time.”

“I see,” said Mandla. “And what is this job?”

“I’m a production assistant at a film company,” said Song.

“A production assistant! And what do you do as a production assistant?”

“Well,” said Song. “I have to fill in shot-lists and daily reports,”

“Filling in forms!” said Mandla, shaking his head and smiling.

“And I have to deliver messages to the crew, and… and bring things to people,” said Song. Under Mandla’s constant smile, she was losing confidence.

“Bringing things. Like a delivery girl?”

“No,” said Song. “Well, sometimes. But I’m learning about making films. In a few years I could be a producer, or a director.”

“In a few years…” said Mandla. “But you can do this job now. You don’t have to wait, you just have to do it. What do you say? You can start whenever you like.”

Song tapped the top of the desk, the way she did whenever she was thinking hard. Sbu was impressed. Sbu knew how stubborn Song could be. Right now she was seriously considering changing her career.

His uncle was smooth. “I’m sorry,” said Mandla. “I can see I have given you a dilemma.”

“It’s a wonderful offer,” said Song. “I just need to think about it. It’s unexpected-“

Without warning, the window shattered inwards.

Image: -AX-, CC-BY-NC

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  If you were Song, what would you do? Take a job that makes money now, or spend years working your way up to something bigger?