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Anna's New Start · Episode 8: A Shirt for Thursday October 7, 2026 · 5:10 · With Narrator, Anna, Sam, and Rosa
Anna looks for an affordable shirt to wear to her hotel interview.
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Narrator This is Anna’s New Start. Anna has just arrived in a new city and is looking for work. Today, she and Sam are at a neighborhood secondhand shop. Anna has an interview at the Harbor Lane Hotel on Thursday, and she hopes to find something comfortable to wear. Anna Sam, do you think this is the right place? The sign says good clothes for less, but I’m not sure what people wear to a hotel interview. Sam It looks like a good place to start. You don’t need anything fancy. A clean shirt you feel comfortable in can be enough. What kind of clothes do you usually like? Anna Simple ones. I have a dark skirt in my suitcase, but no shirt that looks right for work. I also don’t want to spend much before I move. Rosa Hi, welcome in. I’m Rosa. Are you looking for anything special? We have shirts on the rack by the window, and the prices are on the small tags. Anna Thanks, Rosa. I have a job interview this week. I’m hoping to find a plain shirt that goes with a dark skirt and stays within a small budget. Rosa You can look through those three racks. Most shirts are six dollars. If you find one you like, you can try it on in the fitting room over there. Sam Six dollars sounds possible. Do you want to look at colors first? A light blue or white shirt might work with your skirt, but it’s your choice. Anna I like blue, but white may be easier to wear again. Oh, this one feels soft. The sleeves are long, though. I don’t know if they’ll be too long. Rosa There’s a mirror in the fitting room. You can try it on and see how it feels when you move. Just bring it back out if it isn’t right. Anna I’ll try it. Sam, could you hold my bag for a minute? I don’t want to leave it outside the room. There’s my skirt on top, too. Sam Sure. Take your time. I’ll stay right here. If the sleeves are long, maybe they can be folded once, as long as the shirt still feels comfortable. Anna The shoulders fit, but the sleeves cover part of my hands. And when I button it all the way, it pulls a little across my chest. Rosa That sounds a bit tight. We have a larger size in the same color, I think. Would you like me to check the rack for you? Anna Yes, please. I want to be able to reach for a plate or carry a tray without the buttons pulling. The hotel job may involve moving around a lot. Sam That makes sense. You should be able to move easily. And you can ask about the work clothes at the interview, too. They may have an apron or uniform. Rosa Here’s the next size up. It’s also six dollars. Try this one, and check the shoulders and the buttons before you decide. Anna This one fits much better. The sleeves stop at my wrists, and I can lift my arms. I like the color, too. It looks calm, not too formal. Sam It looks good with your skirt. Do you feel like yourself in it? You’ll be able to focus on the interview instead of wondering if your clothes are uncomfortable. Anna Yes, I do. I was worried I needed to buy a whole outfit. This is enough, and six dollars is fair. I can still save for the room. Rosa Great. The register is by the front door. We take cash or cards. There’s no return on secondhand clothes, so please check the buttons and the seams before you pay. Anna The buttons are all here, and the seams look strong. I’ll pay with cash. I’ve been keeping the rent money separate, so I know I won’t spend that by mistake. Sam That’s a good plan. You found something useful without spending too much. And you can wear it again for other things, not just this one interview. Anna Thanks for coming with me. I feel more ready now. I still need to print my resume, but at least I know what I’m wearing on Thursday. Sam You’re welcome. Let’s keep the receipt with your interview papers. When we go to print the resume, we can make sure you have everything together for Thursday.
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