Maybe I love him too much.
I had finished studying and I wanted a job. I knew a lot of theory and now I needed some practical experience. This means working for a year or two as an assistant for nothing, or next to nothing.
I emailed my résumé to all the financial companies, good or bad. I had a few interviews and a few rejections, but no offers. And then an interview at the best company, I had not expected that.
Oh, talk to Toby! He's the best in mathematical modelling.
Yes, the best company had a reputation for being informal, but I had not expected first names and Toby didn't have an office.
He asked lots of questions, he was very friendly. But then the trick questions:
Can you read and write? Can you cook? Can you drive?
Big problem! What clever things was I supposed to say? Suddenly my brain stopped working and all I could say was yes.
He liked the answer and told me about his newest modelling technique, so new that it did not have a name. I found it really good.
OK, Julie! Suppose I wanted to inform my colleagues about the new technique, suppose I was suddenly very ill for weeks, could you write a good description in a few hundred words with your laptop? Now?
First of all I would have to think of a name for it.
Oh, just call it Julification.
I opened my laptop and typed in a description. Toby was very patience, he poured two cups of coffee and drank one of them.
I'm still very ill, he said, I'm lying in my hospital bed and that colleague over there will read out what you have written on your laptop to me.
The colleague did this and smiled.
Oh, Julie! That was very good. I am now well again and back at work. Thank you!
You know, you don't want a job as an assistant. You get paid little and learn a lot about the copying machine.
That did not make me happy.
No, I want you to do something else. No better still, you are going to do something else. You have already accepted. That is good. Congratulations!
Maybe I love him too much.