Preparing for a Random Phonebook Interview has to be like preparing for a blind date. What do I know about this person? Nothing. What does this person know about me? Less than nothing. I began looking for answers as soon as I set foot on Shirley Boucher’s driveway. To my right sat a BMW. To my left, a Mercedes Benz. At my feet laid, you guessed it, the Wall Street Journal. Apart from chuckling every time I heard her Waterboy-esque last name (pronounced Booshay), all I knew about Shirley was that she was probably smarter than me. This oughta be fun…

I finished the trek up the driveway only to be greeted by a wide open front door. Having never encountered such a warm gesture, I stepped inside, knocked on the free swinging door and said, “Hello?”… No answer. I knocked louder, “Hello?!” A man appeared to my left. I performed some quick thinking and deduced that this was probably not Shirley. I shook the man’s hand while he introduced himself as Ted, Shirley’s husband. He directed me towards the kitchen where Shirley was waiting. I shook Shirley’s hand as she said, “Would you like a Pellegrino?” “Uhh” I replied, “Water’s fine with me”. (I later discovered that Pellegrino is, in fact, water). With Pellegrino in hand, she lead me to her back yard, the interview was to be held poolside. I soon realized that Shirley Boucher was radically different than I anticipated.