Житие Мое / Life of Mine: Глава 2

Chapter 2

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:24

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Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:24

I've never had to work in a collective before unless you count the trip to King's Island as collective work. However, one has to realize that the time when alchemists worked in garages alone is irrevocably gone (my motorbike is a separate topic). The future belongs to big research institutes and large trusts! Consequently, I have to learn to get on with my coworkers or become such a genius that I can be forgiven for anything.

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:26

Consumed with these thoughts, I bought a penny leaflet from a stall called "Business Etiquette". I read it and realized it was written by a do-gooder who wanted to help prostitutes get into secretarial positions. Of the other caught a manual on the creation of the team, but then the current director would have to fire ... Ask for advice from Quarter was all the more useless. No, he would answer, but God forbid I should take his advice!

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:29

It would have been easier if the employer had scheduled me for an interview. We would have looked at each other and seen who was worthwhile. But Ron told me Mr. Polak preferred to test the man in action. I don't get it. Is he thinking, "Every black one is the same shit"? Or was it our patent that made that impression on him? On the other hand, for the money they were offering on probation, you could have put a monkey on the drawing board and still be in the black.

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:35

There was incomprehensible and unpleasant confusion about the situation. This alone would have given me an idea of what was going on, but I was still a naïve student, unspoiled by life.

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:38

And there it was - the first day of my adult life.

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:39

I went to work in my business suit (I did not have many options), but I did not wear a tie because I was sick of ties. The office I was looking for was in a cheap office building on the third floor. There was a dusty sign on the door that said there was a firm called "Biokin" inside. The name had no association with alchemy. Behind the door was an enormous hall. One could make a good guess about the creative process going on here only by the two drawing boards pushed into a far corner and rolls of stationery adjoining tables with puffy folders and other office junk. At the only clean desk by the door, a kid in a messenger uniform and two girls were having coffee (here, I remembered Business etiquette). One, a redhead, giggled sweetly. The other, a fiery brunette, sparkled from under her long fringes with gorgeous blue eyes. I interrupted their amusement, not without regret:

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:43

"How can I find Mr. Polak?"

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:44

The redhead poked her finger to the far end of the hall, where the stacks of files and blueprints were particularly high. I had to admit I didn't immediately see the man behind them. He did not see or hear me, but not because he was absorbed in his work. Mr. Polak was sleeping sweetly, lying down on a stack of files with his feet out in the aisle.

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:46

"Good afternoon!" I called cautiously.

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:46

He perked up, looking around with wide eyes. I waited patiently for his face to become meaningful.

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:48

"I had an appointment for three."

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:48

"Oh... Yes? Of course! Mr. Tangor?"

Camrad_RIP 22.04.23 в 17:48

I had a sneaking suspicion that he couldn't say the word "mister" twice in a row. And it wasn't because he'd woken up a few seconds ago! I stared with some fascination at the man who ran an entire company, wearing a plaid farmer's shirt and barnyard overalls (if it weren't for the quality of the fabric, I would have thought that was where he came from) and an earring glinting in his ear.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 06:31

And then the truth hit me: my first boss was a classic, over-the-top spokesman for the "nerd". I'm screwed!

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 06:32

"You can just call Thomas."

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 06:32

He smiled beamingly and introduced himself:

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 06:33

"Jeff. Would you like some coffee?"

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 06:33

"Thank you, um..."

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 06:33

"Girls, girls! Coffee!"

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 06:33

Actually, I tried not to take stimulants in the afternoon, but there was no way to throw Jeff off his mind. The courier quietly slipped away, and the secretaries stopped giggling and started rattling their dishes.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:49

"By the way, you don't have to dress like that at all! Our company has an informal style of dress." He pulled back the strap of his overalls.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:49

Call me a hick, but I couldn't walk down the street in that kind of junk. Except to change into it on the spot as in work clothes. But such an approach could have been considered insulting, not to mention the fact that there was nowhere to put my clothes and no lockers.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:51

I smiled tautly, feverishly thinking of a way to send him away.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:52

"Oh, I understand, Jeff," I looked down, tugging at my jacket lapel, "but it was a gift from my Mum."

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:52

Knockout! He could not argue with this argument and tried to hide his embarrassment behind a businesslike tone:

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:52

"Do you already know exactly what our company is developing?" Polak asked.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:54

"Equipment for Sewage Plants?" I hazarded a guess.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:57

"Not only, not only!" he jumped up indignantly. "The use of improved micro-organisms will usher in a new era in the development of civilization!"

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 15:57

And Mr. Polak showered me with streams of strategic information about the market and promising developments in the field.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:09

I tried desperately to get specifics about the company and my future responsibilities out of the flow of words. Why was he telling me all this? I didn't come to invest money!

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:10

"Do you understand now?" He smiled encouragingly, taking a sip of coffee.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:10

"I understand," I nodded bluntly. "But right now, you're dealing with a gas generator."

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:11

"Yes," he didn't deny the obvious.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:11

I fought the urge to bail without explanation. Everything in this place annoyed me. I also wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with Quarter...

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:12

We started to clarify my work schedule, which was not supposed to overlap with my study schedule. Polak was surprised that twice a week my classes continued until midnight.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:13

"What specialty are you studying at university?"

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:14

"Alchemy and Black Magic."

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:14

"Ahem..."

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:14

I waited patiently to see which of my skills he would question. I swear, I was ready to create Odo Aurum without leaving my seat!

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 16:30

"And have you had to do research before?" Mr. Polak asked cautiously.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:00

I think the boss was beginning to realize who he was talking to.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:04

"Yes," I nodded, "I have a patent in mechanical engineering."

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:05

"Oh yes, I was told..."

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:13

Then why ask?

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:13

He clapped his hands:

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:13

"Well, shall we try and get down to business?"

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:14

Let's try is a good term in this context.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:14

Polak handed me a hand-drawn sketch and offered to transfer it to a piece of felt paper, and then he said goodbye. He probably went off to sleep somewhere else. The first thing I did was to drag one of the workstations to the window, ruthlessly disposing of a table full of violets. The secretaries, tapping their heels, moved the pots to another window sill.

Camrad_RIP 23.04.23 в 18:15