"Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?"

The last time that I was asked the question, "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?", I was interviewing for a job as a Sales Representative for Simmons Bedding Company. At the time, I was living in Auburn, California, with my parents and working at The Sleep Shop with my dad. My best friends were married and growing up, but I didn't feel like I had much direction. I went to school to become a teacher, but I didn't feel ready to commit to a teaching job in Auburn. My dating life wasn't really making any sense. I would date anyone who asked me out (because I was bored), leaving my family and friends to wonder, "Why is she going out with him? She doesn't really want to date him!"


So, the chance to interview for the job with Simmons pretty much fell into my lap, and when I was offered a position in Seattle, I accepted without hesitation. I had never aspired to work in the mattress industry, or to live in Seattle, but it would be an adventure, and Simmons was a company that promised opportunity for growth and movement within the company, and I planned that I would apply for the first promotion available-- hopefully moving me to San Diego so that I could live by the beach and pedal a beach cruiser and wear flip flops every day of the year...


On February 23, 2004, my dad drove me to the Sacramento airport for a 7am flight. I was wearing a new outfit from Ann Taylor Loft-- pieces from my new "professional" wardrobe. It was the first day of my new job.


I liked Seattle. I only knew one person--a guy named Jens that I went to college with-- and we quickly became great friends. He was happy to introduce me to the city, and he was a great tour guide. My brother Adam started a job with Simmons just a week after I did, and though his territory was based in Spokane (4 hours from Seattle), he spent a lot of time in my "neck of the woods" and I was so happy to have him nearby.

I lived in a hotel for nearly a month until the day that I moved into my studio apartment in downtown Seattle. As all of my boxes and furniture was being delivered from the moving company to my new home, I completely panicked and tearfully called Jens and Adam to come help me. WHAT HAVE I DONE?? I felt so alone! What made me think that I wanted to live in a big city all by myself?? Adam stayed at my apartment with me that first night, and we quickly learned that trains passed directly outside of my window at all hours of the night, and that being on the third floor put me at the level of the outdoor street lamps which illuminated my room with orange light. We didn't sleep at all! When the fire alarm sounded at 6am and the whole building was evacuated, Adam and I had to laugh at what felt like a great misfortune. All of the signs pointed to A BIG MISTAKE! How was I going to quit my job, move all of my belongings back to Auburn, and repay my moving expenses?

I cried to everyone who would listen-- even my new boss-- and they all assured me to give it some time. I am glad that I listened.


I was assigned to be a Sales Rep to the northwest mattress chain, Sleep Country USA. The majority of the sales staff at Sleep Country were men. Being that I didn't have local friends yet, I "worked" seven days a week. I would eat most of my meals in the Sleep Country stores, just spending time with the salesmen. I would have preferred to have girlfriends (it was another month or so until Simmons hired Monica, a great friend and one of my favorite people). At a sales meeting one morning, I was saying hello to familiar faces, until I passed one that I didn't recognize. I introduced myself to him and asked him which store he works in. With a tone of confidence, he answered, "I'm Devon Rantz, and I don't work in a store. I am a District Manager."


Every time that I crossed paths with Devon, he seemed overly friendly but also a bit intimidating. I couldn't tell if he thought that I was doing a good job as a sales rep or if he thought that I was a joke. Did he like me, or was he going to try to get me replaced? I remember calling my mom and telling her about Devon, and she advised me to just do my job and ignore him. I started to casually ask around about Devon, and the info that I'd gathered was that he was married and had a bunch of kids. Well, then why wasn't he wearing a ring, and why was did it feel like he was flirting with me?? What a creep!


On a business trip to New Orleans, Devon hung out with me the whole time, and I finally worked up enough courage- or intoxication- to ask him "Aren't you MARRIED with kids???" He kind of laughed at the disgust in my voice and then answered, "Actually, I've successfully completed my first marriage, and I only have one child, Joseph, and I was just given full custody of him." Oh. The next morning, on the golf course, I was green with a hang-over, and I asked him how he was feeling, and he said, "I feel great. I've been sober for almost 17 years now." Oh.


When Devon finally asked me out, I decided that it would be best if NO ONE knew that we were dating. I was mostly afraid that I was breaking a company policy and that I would lose my job, but I was also a bit leery of the fact that I was dating an older man, a divorced older man, a divorced single-dad older man, a divorced single-dad alcoholic older man... my dad was not too thrilled. But after our second official date, I knew that I was either going to marry Devon Rantz or that I was going to get my heart broken by Devon Rantz.


Jens was not thrilled about my new boyfriend, but otherwise I kept my boyfriend a secret. As the Sleep Country guys would occasionally ask me out or try to set me up on dates, I would gracefully decline, hoping that they didn't assume that I liked girls instead of boys... but little did they know that I was in love with their boss.


We came "out of the closet" as a couple at the Sleep Country Christmas party, and we were engaged three months later, and as this story is getting long, I can wrap it all up by saying that I don't remember what I said at my interview when I was asked, "Where do you see yourself in 5 years," but I am pretty sure that I did not say the truth: "I see myself as a wife and a mom. I want to meet the man of my dreams and start a family!" That answer would probably have NOT gotten me the job!


So, thank you Simmons for bringing me to Seattle so that I could meet my divorced single-dad alcoholic older man of my dreams! I am exactly where I hoped I'd be in five years!





Happy Seattle Anniversary to me!