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Anna's New Start · Episode 18: The Staff Entrance October 27, 2026 · 6:23 · With Narrator, Anna, Sam, and Ms. Lopez
Anna takes her first early-morning bus to the Harbor Lane Hotel and finds the staff entrance for her training shift.
Transcript Narrator You’re hearing Anna’s New Start, a fictional continuing story about Anna building a new life in a new city and looking for work. Anna has accepted a breakfast assistant job at the Harbor Lane Hotel. Today, she takes an early bus for her first training shift. She still needs to find the way from the bus stop to the staff entrance. Anna Sam, is it really 5:04 already? I checked my phone twice, but I still feel like I might have read the time wrong. It’s so early that I’m not sure my eyes are working yet. Sam It’s 5:04. The bus is due now. You set two alarms, and you got here early. You did everything you planned last night. We have your bus number, and we’re standing at the right stop. Anna I know. I packed my photo ID and bank information, and I have my dark pants and closed shoes on. I checked the bag again before we left. But I’m still nervous about my first day. Sam That makes sense. It’s your first training shift, and it’s very early. You don’t have to know everything today. You just have to arrive and listen. Ms. Lopez will show you what to do. Anna I can do that. I’m glad you came with me to the stop. The street feels different before sunrise. It’s so quiet, and I can hear every car coming before I see it. Sam I’m glad to help. Look, that bus says route 4. The sign says “toward downtown,” and the schedule lists Harbor Lane. This should be ours. Let’s check the number before we get on. Anna Let’s check the number on the bus, too. Yes, it’s route 4. I’m getting on now. I’ll watch for the stop near the hotel, and I’ll tell you when I see the sign. Narrator At 5:27, Anna and Sam get off the bus near the Harbor Lane Hotel. They look for the staff entrance before Anna’s training shift. Anna Sam, I see the hotel sign. This must be the stop from the schedule. It says 5:27, so the bus is right on time. I’m glad we didn’t take the later one. Sam Good. Now we need to find the staff entrance. The map only showed a stop near the hotel, not the exact way to the door. We have a little time before you need to be inside. Anna I thought I might see the entrance from the bus, but I can’t. The hotel is bigger than I expected. The front entrance is over there, but I don’t think that’s where staff go. Sam That’s probably for guests. Let’s look for a sign, or a door marked for staff. We can stay on the sidewalk and check the side of the building. We don’t need to go through any door until we know. Anna I don’t want to walk in the wrong door on my first day. I also don’t want to be late. It’s only 5:30 now, so we have time. I can call Ms. Lopez if we’re not sure. Sam Right. We planned to arrive at 5:50, and we’re early. Let’s take the path beside the building slowly and look for a sign. We can stop if we see something that isn’t clear. Anna I see a small sign by that narrow path. It says “Deliveries.” Does that mean people who bring food and supplies use this entrance? I don’t want to block their way. Sam Yes, that’s what it means. But we shouldn’t guess that it’s for you. Maybe there’s another sign farther along the building. Let’s keep to the sidewalk and look around the corner. Anna There’s a door around the corner, and it says “Staff.” This could be it. I’m going to call Ms. Lopez before I go inside. I want to make sure I’ve found the right door. Anna Good morning, Ms. Lopez. I’m at a door marked “Staff,” near the side of the hotel. Is this the right entrance for my training shift? Ms. Lopez Good morning, Anna. Yes, that’s the right door. I’m just inside. Please come in, and we’ll get you ready for the shift. You’re in the right place. Anna Thank you. I’m here with Sam. He came with me to the bus stop, but he can head home now. I have my photo ID and bank information with me, too. Ms. Lopez That’s fine, Sam. Thanks for helping Anna find us. Anna, you’re early, which is helpful. I’ll show you where to put your things before we start. You can leave your bag there safely. Sam You found it, Anna. I’ll let you get settled. Send me a message when you have a break, if you want. I’ll be thinking of you, and I hope the first part of the shift goes well. Anna I will. Thanks for coming with me, Sam. I was worried about the walk from the bus stop, but now I know the way. That makes me feel calmer. I can remember the path and the turn. Ms. Lopez You can remember the path beside the delivery entrance, then turn the corner to the staff door. We can also show you the route again after your shift, so you don’t have to rely on memory alone. Anna That would help. I’m still nervous, but I feel ready to go in. I got here on time, and I found the right door. I’m glad I gave myself extra time this morning. Ms. Lopez You did. Welcome to your first training shift, Anna. Let’s get your things settled, and then I’ll show you where we begin. We’ll take it one step at a time.
