Decisions and Indecisions

Milton looked down at the aptitude test once more before looking up at the interviewer. "I don't understand," he finally answered, confusion written across his face. "You say that like it's a bad thing?"   "Simply put, we don't know where we would place you." The interviewer paged through his resume aimlessly to prove her point. "You don't seem to know what you want to do, and you aren't particularly skilled at anything."   "I can learn!" Milton answered brightly. "I love to learn new things! Anything except-"   "Mining, I know, you keep repeating that." Lacey sighed, temporarily displacing her black-rimmed glasses before rubbing her temples. This was going to be a long day. Why did she always get stuck with the underqualified and overeager applicants?   She studied the young man before her as he fidgeted uncomfortably in the unpadded chair across from her desk, unconsciously scratching at his straggly chin stubble as he met her gaze. His brown eyes looked up at her, equal parts nervous and desperate.   Lacey chose her words carefully, spinning her gold-plated pen between freshly manicured fingers. "The problem is that you know a little about a lot of things but not a lot about anything. Your experience is non-existent, you are an encyclopedia of useless facts, and you never think for yourself when you can just find the answer written somewhere else. So tell me again why I should hire you?"   He folded his calloused hands in his lap, rattling off a well-rehearsed answer. "I have a broad spectrum of interests, a willingness to learn, and you can put me on any team you want and I will learn all I can until I am the best at it. Anything except-"   "Mining," Lacey finished tiredly. They did not pay her enough for this job. "Yes, we went over that already."   There was a long pause. Milton fidgeted, repeatedly scuffing the tips of his shoes along the floor under the chair in an effort to avoid pacing nervously across the plush green carpet of the office. He really wanted this job, and he didn't even care what they put him on. Heck, he didn't even remember the name of the company, but it was his first job application ever and he didn't deal well with rejection.   He wondered if maybe it would be okay to pace after all. Maybe he could stand up and say it was to stretch his legs? Or... There was a trash can in the corner, maybe he could throw something away, and get some pacing in that way? And when did that wall clock get so loud anyway?   He was about to start searching his pockets for a tissue or piece of paper when the silence was broken by a polite cough from the woman across the desk from him. "Okay, Milton, we'll give you a shot at this. Report to the training lab, room 3C. You will be working with Sheila Burns who will be teaching you the intricacies of terraforming, and we will try to figure out your aptitudes from there."   Milton grinned excitedly. His first job! Terraforming! That didn't have anything to do with mining, right...?   But he got the job! How exciting!   His thoughts were interrupted by impatience from across the desk. "Well? What are you waiting for?"   Milton jumped from his chair. "Sosorrythankyousomuchyouwon'tregretthis!" And with that, he was out the door and off to find his new research team. Or rather...   "No, left! Go left! That's the broom closet!" Lacey called from behind her desk, half rising from her own plush chair, her blonde hair cascading across her shoulders as she shook her head. All these excited kids, so eager to research and no clue what they were getting into. But no matter. Some of them could become scientific superstars, given enough training.   She just hoped they didn't burn anything else down in the meantime. The insurance was getting to be a bit pricey these days.