12/29/15
Lab Assistant Needed. Experience preferred but not required. College level chemistry helpful. Apply Menellow Parke Laboratories.
Ooh! I thought to myself. This could be fun. Maybe I’ll help a researcher mix dangerous chemicals together in test tubes. Or perhaps help an inventor find miracle medicines. It would certainly be better than the busboy job at the seafood restaurant I’d been considering. My hands trembled as I grabbed a copy of my resume’ and ran to the car.
This is great, I thought. I’ll have interesting work while I finish college. Then once I complete my degree, I’ll already have an inside track for a good position. I might stay with this company if they treat me right. Or I might choose to start my climb between bigger companies and better jobs. My future was already falling into place.
“Dr. Edsen can see you now,” announced the secretary as she motioned me to the door behind her.
“Edison?” I asked. I knew it was important to pronounce the boss’ name right.
“No, Edsen,” she corrected me.
I entered the well-furnished office and sat in front of his desk. He took several minutes to look over my resume’ before finally speaking. “Do you have any medical experience?”
“No, sir. Just two years of high-school chemistry. Why? Is this a medical laboratory?” I asked.
“Yes. We need someone to prepare Pap smear cultures.”
“Eww! Oops, sorry. What does that mean, sir?”
“You take the swabs we receive from area clinics and apply the specimens to microscope slides. Once a batch is ready the doctor comes to examine them.”
The lack of color in my face likely told what I was thinking, but I didn’t want to leave any doubt. “I don’t think this is the right job for me.”
Dr. Edsen nodded. “I understand. However, we could also use help in our animal testing department. We need someone to hold them down while we apply the products.”
I slid forward in my seat, but I think he mistook my move to leave as interest in what he was saying.
He continued, “Our regular lab boy got mauled. Oh, don’t worry. He’ll recover the use of his hand in a few months. But we need someone to fill in until he comes back.”
I jumped up from my chair, thanked him for his time, and exited as quickly as I could. I didn’t even ask for my resume’ back or say goodbye to the secretary.
On the drive home I thought to myself, “Maybe I’ll take that busboy job after all.”
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