Scenes from the Boda Dome: Job Interview (System transcript 18552.3b-OCT/22/40)

HITCHENS: You’re Edward.

EDWARD: Um, yes. Uh… yes.

HITCHENS: Edward, do you know who I am?

EDWARD: Um… You’re, you’re Mr. Hitchens.

HITCHENS: Hitchens.

EDWARD: Hitchens. That’s, um… I think that’s what I said.

HITCHENS: It’s just Hitchens, Edward.

EDWARD: Oh, it, it�

HITCHENS: Why do you think you’d be right for this job, Edward?

EDWARD: Why do I, um… I think that, um… Well, I think that… Um, Mr. um…, er, Hitchens?

HITCHENS: Just Hitchens. Yes, Edward.

EDWARD: They actually didn’t tell me anything about the job. So…

HITCHENS: I find that hard to believe, Edward.

EDWARD: Oh. But… No. They didn’t tell me.

HITCHENS: I admire your honesty, Edward.

EDWARD: Uh… thanks, thank you.

HITCHENS: However I deplore unpreparedness. Though apparently it’s not your fault, is that right?

EDWARD: No, I… They said you’d explain the job.

HITCHENS: Let me ask you something, Edward. Do you have quick, dextrous hands?

EDWARD: Hands, sir? I…

HITCHENS: Edward.

EDWARD: Sir?

HITCHENS: Hitchens.

EDWARD: Hit� Hitchens.

HITCHENS: Do you have quick, dextrous hands, Edward.

EDWARD: I… do?

HITCHENS: And are you tolerant of extremely high temperatures?

EDWARD: I… I don’t know, sir. I don’t… I don’t think so. Not particularly.

HITCHENS: Your letter says you are.

EDWARD: It� It does?

HITCHENS: The letter from Employment. It does.

EDWARD: Oh. Well, um… how high? The temperatures.

HITCHENS: Very high, Edward.

EDWARD: Oh. Oh, in that case�

HITCHENS: Let me ask you, Edward, whether you think you could maintain manual dexterity over extended periods in high temperatures.

EDWARD: Um… sir? I’m really not sure I could.

HITCHENS: Edward.

EDWARD: I’m sorry, sir, I’m not trying to… to… I’m not hoping to get out of the job, sir, it’s just I’m really not sure I could… could…

HITCHENS: Edward, of course no one enjoys working under adverse conditions. But you go home at the end of the day to comfort. To everything you need for sustaining a fulfilling existence. And in exchange you work. That’s how we run a society. It’s how society has always been run, Edward.

EDWARD: Yes, sir, that’s true, I just�

HITCHENS: Edward, you dealt cards in Recreation for three years. I have no reservations about your dexterity. Neither should you. This is substantially the same thing, except instead of cards you’ll be working with organics.

EDWARD: O� Organics, sir?

HITCHENS: Living tissue, Edward. Ergo the heat. Incubation.

EDWARD: Sir, I� I�

HITCHENS: I’m awarding you the post, Edward. Please be here tomorrow for standard schedule. Entry is on level 6.

EDWARD: Thank you, sir.

HITCHENS: Hitchens, Edward. You’re welcome.