Chapter 3 – Carol
August 3rd, 2007 (Story)It was hard to concentrate in class that next day. When I wasn’t sleeping through the history lesson, I was thinking about going back to work once school was over. What was it about that place that made me feel like I was working at empire records? The laid-back atmosphere? The boss who wanted to be a friend…a peer even though he was 15 years older? “Stephen”, the voice pierced my thoughts like nails on a chalkboard. “What year was the Declaration of Independence adopted?” “Uh, 1776?” I mumbled. “What?”, shouted Mr. Crace, making me wonder why they had ever hired a deaf history teacher at this school. “SEVENTEEN-SEVENTY-SIX” I shouted back. “Good”, said Crace as he walked back to the chalkboard adjusting his hearing aide. Only a few more hours I told myself.
Finally school was over and I zipped out of the parking lot in my 1987 Chrysler LeBaron. Mark was already working on a new computer build when I arrived. “Where the f*** have you been”, he shouted as I walked in. “School isn’t over until 3″, I replied timidly. “I was just messing with you, man”, said Mark. “Anyway, have you met Carol yet?” “No”, I replied. “I heard she would be in today, though.” I looked over to my left where I was surprised to see a woman quietly soldering wires onto what appeared to be a serial connector of some sort. To my young eyes, she appeared to be ancient. At least as old as my grandmother. Then again, everyone that was over 40 looked as old as Grandma to me. “Hi”, said Carol as she looked up and sighed. “You must be the new guy?” “Sure am”, I replied. “I’m guessing you’re Carol, then?” *Hack* *Cough* *Cough* *Cough*, “yeah” she replied.
Tony walked over just then and said, “Carol, I think you left your lung on the bathroom floor. I almost tripped over it.”
At that age, I took everything that people said literally. Well, that’s not completely true. It wasn’t just at that age. I still take everything literally to this day.
Carol ignored the question and just kept working. She worked and coughed the rest of the afternoon while I got two computers built. I thought that it wasn’t too bad for my first day building on my own. However, I wasn’t too sad to get away from Carol and whatever disease she had picked up that made her lung actually come out of her throat.
Love the Carol chapter—-got the”feel” of your early enthusiasm for the job….and the last sentence made me laugh out loud:)
Yes, you are a literal one. Must run in the family.