Story 2: A Job Offer...I think?

The Job Offer.

Having applied for "a" job at Mt Gunson in 1977, I was eventually sent a telegram asking me to visit the mine site for an actual job interview.

Living at Waikerie in South Australia at the time, it was a five and a half hour drive.

With very few details on hand I left home at 5am and by 8:30am was heading north from Pt Augusta along the rough track called the Stuart Highway, driving slow to avoid the rocks and deep pot holes that littered the unsealed North / South, joke of a National Highway.
I drove slowly to conserve fuel, after about an hour I came across a complete 12 wheel bogie wheel assembly, obviously it had fallen from the back of a truck and now lay apparently forgotten or abandoned in the middle of the National Highway. My concerns raised after seeing the large wheels in the road as to what the conditions must be like further ahead.

A little after 10am I arrived at the mine site, feeling a little relieved after having successfully made the journey without damaging the car although feeling very much out of place.
Following the instructions, I parked near the main office, a large building surrounded by crushers, conveyors and all sort of bins towers and things I had no idea of their purpose but could only assume needed for the extraction of copper.

Feeling nervous I made my way to the office building and entered a long narrow corridor. Signs over each door informed the unwashed the task was being performed within. A small square window a little way inside had a sign, "Pay office", I looked in to discover it contained two women busy with paperwork, as I peeked in they looked up. "Can I help you"? one said, rising and approaching the window. I handed her the telegram and said I had been asked to meet with the employment officer.

She read the telegram carefully then went silent for a time before informing me the employment officer had left site for a two week break and was at a loss as to why he had sent it knowing he would be on holidays on the day indicated adding I may have to return for the job interview later. After a long pause she asked how far had I come?

Feeling a little disappointed and certainly not looking forward to having to perform the journey a second time just for an interview, I informed her I had left Waikerie at 5am and had only just arrived.

She cast an eye at the large clock on one wall and after a pause told me to wait a moment, turned and approached the second women, the two re-read the telegram then cast an eye in my direction before chatting among themselves for a moment, the second woman frowned as she picked up the phone.

After a minute or two both women approached the window, informing me the employment officer was out of break and wouldn't be returning for two weeks, then handing me the telegram went on to express their confusion as to why he would have sent me the message knowing he would not be on site.

The phone rang, one of the ladies returned to the desk to pick it up, then after a short conversation returned to inform me his assistant had been located and would be available to have a talk with me.

After given instructions as to her location, I left the building, walked to the opposite end to climb a very long steel set of stairs that rang loudly with each step. Halfway up, a door at the top opened and a women in her thirties appeared, she stopped as though undecided to continue on or stop, after showing initial surprise, she began down the stairs toward me, the two of us greeted each other as she passed with out slowing appearing to be a little occupied as she continued on her way down, I continued on and up.
At the top of the stairs I opened a door onto a rather large cavernous open room, gathering courage I entered.

A woman in her mid thirties was standing opposite a large trestle table, she raised her head and began adjusting her top as she walked around the table to greet me. Then explained the employment officer was out on break and she had no idea how or why he had sent me a telegram to meet him today.
I handed her the telegram and for a few moments she simply stood and read the message before finally handing it back without further comment.
So the trip wont be a waste of time I'll get you to fill in the employment forms she said gesturing to a small pile of paperwork laying on the trestle.
I looked the pages over then handed her an envelope containing the same paperwork I had been sent and completed days earlier.
She removed my forms and read then then seemed at a loss as to what to do next.
She asked me what condition the road was in, and after my reply informed me she had nothing else for me and the company would be in touch.

I returned to my car thinking the entire trip had been a total waste of time and began the long drive back home, arriving late in the afternoon after having completed a round trip of 1,100 kilometers.

It was another six months before I was finally offered employment as a laborer along with  the news the mine would be closing in a year and a half.