Hamid shifted in the chair. "I'm looking forward to proving my worth."
Kalugal smiled. "The pay is generous, but the hours are demanding while I'm in residence. If you have a family, you won't be seeing much of them during those times. When I'm not here, though, there is very little to do, and you will need to be here only a couple of hours a day."
"I understand, sir. I was hoping to make my residence here."
Kalugal tilted his head. "What about your family?"
"I don't have one yet. I hope to save up before getting married."
"Smart man." He turned to Joseph. "Do we have any staff rooms available?"
Joseph seemed taken aback by the question. "I thought Hamid would be taking over my room."
"When his training is complete, sure, but you will still need your room until he is ready to take over." Kalugal shifted his gaze to Hamid, and after a quick peek into his mind, offered him his hand. "Welcome aboard, Hamid. You can start tomorrow."
The peek into the young man’s head was just one more layer of precaution. Hamid was Ahmed’s son, and Kalugal trusted Ahmed. The man had worked for him for many years, was well-paid, and had proven himself many times over. The son wouldn’t risk his father’s position.
"Thank you, sir." The guy shook Kalugal's hand.
Joseph waited until Hamid left with repeated thanks, before asking the question that was burning in his eyes. "I thought I was leaving today for America. I'm all packed."
Kalugal cast him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for not making myself clear. I need you to stay for at least a month to train Hamid. Your job might seem easy and simple to you now, but it is anything but. I can't entrust my household to an inexperienced man who's unfamiliar with its rhythm. He needs to shadow you for a few days until he gets the hang of it, and then you need to look over his shoulder while he tries to step into your shoes."
Joseph's face fell, the excitement dimming like a flame deprived of oxygen. "Are you sure that a month is needed, sir? I can probably teach Hamid everything in one week."
Kalugal leaned back in his chair. "Patience, my dear Joseph. Good things come to those who wait. Let's see first if Hamid is the right man for the job. When I return, I will evaluate his performance, and if I find it satisfactory, you'll fly back with me then."
"I... yes, sir. Of course." Joseph squared his shoulders. "That's a very sensible approach. I apologize for misunderstanding."
Kalugal felt like he'd kicked a puppy. "Don't view this as a negative reflection on my faith in you. The opposite is true. It's because I trust you that I want you to train your replacement so he can do just as good of a job."
"Thank you, sir. I understand completely, sir." Joseph managed a smile. "Shall I begin preparing a training schedule for Hamid?"
"That would be excellent, yes."
