Ch.8, Pt.2: “Do you always use a condom?”
Do you always use a condom?”
Laurence blinked his eyes. “I beg your pardon? Did I hear right?”
“I know it’s a personal question, but I’m just wondering whether people really are using condoms as much as they should. Maybe we should do a segment looking into this question. Sort of a reminder, you know? What do you think?”
“Maybe. But who would you get to talk about it? I mean, who’s going to come on the show and admit that they don’t use condoms?”
“Yeah,” said Katherine quietly. “Although there are probably more people than we think. So do you?”
“Yes,” said Laurence nodding once. “Usually.”
“There! Usually means sometimes not. Am I right? You don’t always use a condom.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything. This is too personal to talk about at work.”
“Listen.” Katherine put a hand on Laurence’s arm. “It doesn’t have anything to do with you. I mean, it doesn’t matter what you do. Except that it’s important to use condoms, right? And if we’re not using condoms, people in the health information field, then it’s probably a big issue. And maybe we should do something on it.”
“Yeah. It sounds like a good idea, if you and Janine can pull it off. I’m just the technician, remember. I’ll tape anything you like.”
“I’ll think some more about it. Thanks.” When Katherine got to the office, Janine looked up with a pinched expression and asked “Can I speak to you for a moment?”
Katherine sank into her chair with a sigh. “Of course.” She watched as Janine got up and closed the office door, and then sat down again, folding her hands on her desk.
“I think you should know that I’ve applied to take midwifery,” she said, looking down at the blotter on her desk.
“Okay,” said Katherine cautiously. “You finished your electrolysis course, then?”
Janine dismissed that with a wave of her hand. “Well no, that’s still going on for a few more weeks, but I might not keep taking it. I’m applying to take midwifery starting in January, which means I’ll be going to school full time. It’s not for sure that I’ll get in, but I want to give you lots of time to find a replacement in case I do.”
Katherine shook her head. “Wait a minute. You mean you want to quit and study to become a midwife?”
“Uh huh.”
Katherine looked around the office, with the odd thought that if she actually were pregnant, Janine might be able to tend to her. But she couldn’t quite picture it. She looked back at Janine. “I thought you got sick at the sight of blood.”
“But this is about birthing babies. So it’s good blood. It’s different.”
Katherine felt her stomach lift with nausea. “Since when have you wanted to be a midwife?”
“I’ve been thinking about it on and off for a few years,” she said growing pink. “And then when you did that segment on it a while ago, I got more interested, so I sent away for the application.”
Katherine closed her eyes briefly. “Okay. Thanks for telling me. But how about we wait until you get your acceptance? Once you’re going to take it for sure, I can start interviewing people. Maybe this will be like the time you wanted to be a dog groomer.”
“That was different. I didn’t know that some dogs are really heavy, and there’s a lot of lifting in that job. This is just tiny babies,” she said, turning her hands palms up as if saying see how simple?
Katherine put both her hands up in the surrender position. “Fine. Good luck. Let me know when you get accepted. I don’t want to worry about it now.”
“I just don’t want you having trouble finding someone around Christmas. I wanted you to know right away. Give you lots of time.”
“I appreciate that.” Katherine nodded in silence, then asked “Are you unhappy here?”
“No, not at all! It’s just that…well, being a production assistant isn’t a profession. Not like a veterinary technician or an early childhood educator, you know?”
“Right.” Katherine nodded sympathetically. “But you’re very good at your job, you know.”
“I know you always give me good performance reviews, but Steve thinks I could stretch myself a little more. Become something - more, you know?”
“Ah yes, Steve. He has high expectations of you, doesn’t he?”
“He wants me to become the best I can be. Everybody should aim for that, don’t you think?”
“If it makes you happy.” Katherine swivelled her chair to her desk. “Speaking selfishly, I hope you decide to stay with us. We’d miss you.”
She heard a little catch in Janine’s voice as she said “Thank you. It’s because you’re so good to work for that I want to be fair with you.”
“Great. We’ll just hold your notice for a while. Now. Any messages?”
“Yes. Here are the ones from people that wouldn’t let me handle their calls. There are quite a lot of them, I’m afraid.”
“Good. That’s just what I need.” Katherine shuffled through the stack hoping for a message from Rick. When there wasn’t one, she slammed them down on the desk in irritation. Idiot, she thought. Then she sighed and dialled the number on the first telephone message.
When she finished returning calls she dialled Clara’s number. Harry answered with a cheerful voice. “How nice to hear from you,” he said warmly after she identified herself. “How’s the puppy?”
“Just fine, although he’s getting into all kinds of trouble. The other day I came home from work and he had emptied a wastepaper basket all over the living room.”
“Have patience. It’s only a stage he’s going through. When are we going to see you?”
“I was thinking about tonight, on my way home from work, but tell me honestly if Clara’s busy with something. If I ask her, I know she’ll say she’s free even if there’s something she should be doing.”
“I don’t know. Just a minute.” And before Katherine could stop him, she heard a smothered sound like a hand was over the mouthpiece. A moment later, Harry’s voice was back, saying “She says to come on over. She’s got some baking to do, but we’d like the visit.”
“Okay. If you’re sure. For a short visit.” They said goodbye and Katherine hung up.
Ch.8, Pt.3: She tried to do a little more work… » »