Brian, Lindsey’s boyfriend, had introduced her to AMW, the Association for Misplaced Workers. It was still a relatively small group, but it was already making waves. They were trying to convince companies to become friendly to misplaced workers, to consider hires that have not been working their careers their whole lives. Lindsey, who had grown more and more sure that she was meant for marketing, not electrical engineering, stepped up to become a marketer.
Because the association had been trying to convince companies that they would not be taking lesser workers, they require those that go to them for help to first prove their worth at their destined career. Lindsey had convinced them so well, that they wanted her to be the face for their cause. Lindsey wanted to be thrilled to help out in this way, but it wasn’t that easy.
“What do you have to think about? This is perfect for you!” Brian was pacing. He always paced when he was frustrated.
“Sit down with me and calm down.” Lindsey’s mind was racing, and unlike Brian, she had to sit down to keep from getting motion sickness.
“First tell me why you won’t do it.”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it. I said I’d have to think about it. It’s not an easy decision.”
“You’re helping bring a face, a story to a cause we both care about. Isn’t it important to you? Wouldn’t you like to be doing what you were meant to do with your life?”
“It’s just that… my parents.”
“What about them?”
“I’ve never done anything against them.”
“This isn’t about them. This is for you. For your well-being, and maybe for a better society. If they love you, they should understand, and if they don’t, maybe they don’t love—”
“Brian! How can you say that? Of course they love me! They’re stubborn, but they love me.”
Brian softened his tone. He wasn’t sure he’d ever heard Lindsey yell before. “I’m just saying, I bet they would understand. You don’t know what they’ll do.”
“I’ve already tested the waters. It won’t work.”
“It might be different when they know it’s you.”
Since Brian had first told Lindsey about AMW a month ago, Lindsey started slipping the subject into phone calls, saying they were starting to make the news out where she was. It had actually been making the news nationally, and her parents, especially her mother, agreed with the dissenters.
The dissenters’ opinion was that people being able to change careers would lead to a collapse of the system, and society. Not only would you have the social sphere of the careers bursting, you would have mass numbers of people doing nothing, constantly reconsidering what they want to do. They’re trying to infect society with this idea that maybe we can just try things out, and never get any work done. Trying to make individuals question their life path. Even if there did happen a few people in the wrong career, it was best to keep it the way it is, for the good of the whole. It might even slide into people trying to start careers they weren’t even good at? How could we prevent such a thing if they let this go on? And that was even before the talk of disrespecting your parents who, in your best interest, chose that career for you.
“Brian, I can’t. I don’t want them to think they’re bad parents.”
“If you know they love you, I’m sure they know you love them.”
“But they’re still going to think I’m telling them they made a mistake.”
“Well…maybe they did.”
“It wasn’t a mistake, they just didn’t know. But they won’t be able to see that. They’ll think they didn’t look hard enough, but there are a lot of things people can be, and just because they didn’t find the right one, doesn’t mean they didn’t look. I mean, everybody else in my family is a scientist, why would they look anywhere else?”
“You could tell them that, you know. I’m not the person you should be trying to convince.”
“Yeah, yeah, I should tell them.” Lindsey stared down at her hands and fidgeted.
“What are you thinking, Linds?”
“Well, maybe I don’t have to tell them. I mean, I could take the offer, and they could find out when it’s necessary.”
“So, you want to wait until they find out from the news, or worse, from their friends? I love you, Linds, but do I really need to tell you why that’s a bad idea?”
“Yes, but it’s a good idea because I don’t have to…” Lindsey sharply exhaled in annoyance, but conceded. “Fine, I’ll talk to them. To my dad first. I have to talk to my dad first.”
“When?”
“Um, soon?”
“Soon as in, later tonight, or as in, a month from now?”
Lindsey bit her lip, “A month from now sounds good…” Brian stared at her, “But I think a week from now sounds even better?”
“Say it without the question.”
“A week. A week from now sounds good. Umm, perfect! Yes, a week from now sounds perfect. I have time to prepare, and I can go home for the weekend, so I can say it in person, not over the phone, although I’ll have to check to make sure dad isn’t helping Fredrick get settled into school… Can you come with me?”
“Actually, I thought I’d leave you to struggle through this on your own.” He grinned. “Don’t worry, I’ll come with you.”
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