Karen 4
Capt Levine says, "the beamer is rigged so you land in the standing position. You carry a carbine with thirty round clip, set on single shot, with safety on. 1 1/2 seconds after you land, the first hologram of a Palestinian pops up. Thereafter, holograms come at uncertain intervals of time and distance. After ten shots, I blow my whistle, means drop into kneeling position. After twenty, blow it again, means prone."
I sense everyone is wild with curiousity as I lead off.
It's a shock, sight you see on transmission. Less said the better, except to state Dante would be proud.
My first shot feels lousy, as my hand shook a bit. By the second shot, I'm in the groove.
At the end of thirty, I feel disappointed that it's over.
Printer whirrs and out pops my card, 993 out of 1,000. Rats, did better on the qualifier.
Expressionless face, Capt asks, "right this moment, how do you feel?"
"Cheated! Wish I had that first shot to do over."
Everyone roars with laughter.
As it subsides, Capt grins, "Naomi, you clue her in."
"Way over 3/4 of people totally choke, never get off a single shot after their first transmission. Those who do shoot, no one but no one snaps off thirty. They're so freaked they couldn't hit a barn. I'm guessing you got icewater in them veins, not blood."
Then and there, I get my Para pin.
Next morning, it catches up with me. Can't get out of bed that day. Naomi says 100% of people get that reaction after first descent.
"So, get any job leads yet?" Naomi asks.
I groan, "no one is impressed by my resume."
She laughs, "understatement of the year. You need a foot in the door, somewhere to start. Willing to accept minimum wage?"
"Oh yes."
"I'm buyer at one of the bookstores. We need a person for receiving shipments and shelving. Interested?"
"Yes, I've always liked books. What's the catch, why is it vacant?"
"Generally only Arabs go for minimum wage. Yet they don't have the literacy skills for stuff like this, lousy written Hebrew."
In place of an interview, he merely puts me to work on one box of books. I'm to read title and author aloud, check it off on the shipping list.
And that is it, I am hired on the spot.
I sense everyone is wild with curiousity as I lead off.
It's a shock, sight you see on transmission. Less said the better, except to state Dante would be proud.
My first shot feels lousy, as my hand shook a bit. By the second shot, I'm in the groove.
At the end of thirty, I feel disappointed that it's over.
Printer whirrs and out pops my card, 993 out of 1,000. Rats, did better on the qualifier.
Expressionless face, Capt asks, "right this moment, how do you feel?"
"Cheated! Wish I had that first shot to do over."
Everyone roars with laughter.
As it subsides, Capt grins, "Naomi, you clue her in."
"Way over 3/4 of people totally choke, never get off a single shot after their first transmission. Those who do shoot, no one but no one snaps off thirty. They're so freaked they couldn't hit a barn. I'm guessing you got icewater in them veins, not blood."
Then and there, I get my Para pin.
Next morning, it catches up with me. Can't get out of bed that day. Naomi says 100% of people get that reaction after first descent.
"So, get any job leads yet?" Naomi asks.
I groan, "no one is impressed by my resume."
She laughs, "understatement of the year. You need a foot in the door, somewhere to start. Willing to accept minimum wage?"
"Oh yes."
"I'm buyer at one of the bookstores. We need a person for receiving shipments and shelving. Interested?"
"Yes, I've always liked books. What's the catch, why is it vacant?"
"Generally only Arabs go for minimum wage. Yet they don't have the literacy skills for stuff like this, lousy written Hebrew."
In place of an interview, he merely puts me to work on one box of books. I'm to read title and author aloud, check it off on the shipping list.
And that is it, I am hired on the spot.
posted by afghangirlscifi @ 8:08 AM
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