"Damn it. I am going to be late...again," Elle Bradley said to herself as she ran down 23rd Ave. towards Jive Records in New York City. She checked her watch which read 7:20 AM. "I was lucky I actually got the job in the first place. I still can't believe that they hired a 19 year old as a public relations representative. With my luck, they are going to fire me within the month."

Suddenly Elle stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh shit," she said out-loud. She dropped her briefcase on the nearest park bench and sat down next to it. Quickly she searched for the report that was due on her boss' desk in 10 minutes. Her search became more frantic when she realized that she really didn't have it. "How could I have been so stupid?" Elle asked herself. Seconds later Elle came across a computer disk marked "Backstreet Boys." "Let's pray to God that I saved the report on this," she thought. With that, she began running again in the cold autumn morning. As she reached Central Park West, she hailed a taxi and climbed in.

"You look like you have just run in a marathon," the cab driver commented.

"Well, at least I got my morning exercise," Elle answered. Both Elle and the cab driver started laughing.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Jive Records on 21st and Locust," she answered.
(*Note: I know that's not really where Jive Records is, but it sounds nice.)

Ten minutes later the cab stopped at the front of a huge black building marked Jive Records. As Elle thanked and paid the driver, she checked her watch again. "Well, I am only two minutes late," she said to herself. She punched the button for the elevator, stepped in and pushed the button for the 16th floor. Moments later Elle was at her computer searching for the report that was vital to her career. "Thank God," Elle whispered as she noticed the heading of the latest Backstreet Boys report on the A Drive. She quickly printed it out and walked to her boss' office.

"Good morning Maranda," Elle greeted.

"And a good morning to you," Maranda said flatly.

"Here's the report that you asked for," Elle said as she handed Maranda the report. Maranda skimmed the report and asked Elle to shut the door and sit down.

"I have something very important to tell you Elle," Maranda started. "You are one of the best public relations reps that we have at Jive Records New York. Your work shows effort and amazing use of words. Now, you know that the Backstreet Boys are nearing the end of their tour next month. I need a favor from you. The Millennium Tour has and still is going to stir up a bucket-load of publicity for you to handle. More importantly, magazines are going to want interviews. There is an interview scheduled for December 20th. I want you to conduct the interview. With your qualifications as a public relations rep, I want you to show the world the new, year 2000 Backstreet Boys. Do you think you can handle it? "

Elle sat in her chair in a state of shock. After a couple of uncomfortable seconds, Elle found herself agreeing to conduct the interview and walking out of Maranda's office with a huge file of article clippings, quotes, and cell phone numbers. After the initial shock had worn off, Elle started to realize that in less than a month, she would be interviewing, in her opinion, the best boy band in the world.

. "If only mom and dad were alive to see this," Elle said to herself. With that thought tears started welling up in her eyes. It had only been four months since both her parents were killed in car accident, two months since she had gotten this job at Jive, and 20 minutes since she had learned that she was going to be interviewing the Backstreet Boys.