Amalie in Orbit, by Gloria DeVidas Kirchheimer
A brief excerpt from the novel:
Amalie was seething over her visit to the employment agency. Hardly older than her son, the smug interviewer had shaken his head as he looked at her résumé. "You've been out of the market so long, Amalie. There's new technology. I see you didn't complete our application. How am I supposed to file you?"
"This reminds me of Kafka," Amalie said.
"Yes, I know the agency. They're real sticklers." He offered her a melting Tootsie Roll from a basket. "But you know, even a person like yourself has a lot to offer and might liaise well with the public." Then he had the gall to offer her some advice: "Add a touch of color when you go out for an interview. All black is too depressing."
"So is death, you punk," she said and walked out.
