Meet My Coworkers

The first in a possible occasional series.

Dr. Memory

True, none of the rest of us memorized over 100 names, faces, hometowns, and trivia bits in time for the first day. However, when I'm asking someone their name (or some other bit of biographical data) it doesn't help when you say the name at the same tme that the person does. I can't process the auditory information from both of you simultaneously. When I ask the person to repeat his name and you repeat his name, too, it's still a problem. Besides, part of my talking to people is to try to be social, not just to collect factoids. And, no, I'm not impressed that you know two of my regular blog readers. At least three other people here know one of them from her summer job. I don't care that you knew her when she lived in Pennsylvania and spent a summer at your program.

Low-Boundaries Guy

While, yes, I am somewhat prickly and reluctant to talk to people, he takes on the other extreme. At first it was nice to be working with someone open and talkative. Now that I'm getting tired and cranky, I'm afraid that I'm going to snap at him. Because, you know, it's not just the sociability, but it's also the content. I just met you; we are not friends yet; you do not have to touch me. It's a shame that it's like this because if I snap at the only really extroverted person around, I'm not going to have anyone to talk to.

The Popular Girls

They are pivotal to everything running smoothly. If they don't like me, my summer is going to drag on -- in a bad way.