My Intern

In college, I was an internship whore. Yes, I loved interning. I went through four different internships. My supervisors treated me well and let me go on fun errands. I got brownie points without having to try too hard and acquired skills that I still whip out once in a while. I still keep in touch with 3 out of 4 of my former supervisors. I loved interning so much, I thought I could intern for the rest of my life.

But no, there comes a point in life when you have to move on from being an intern and get yourself a real job. It sucks at first, doing the routine coffee runs and photocopying, which really isn't very different from what you do at the beginning of an internship, but the advantage is that you get paid. Paid to complete the same menial tasks. After a while, the boss starts sharing and delegating and giving you projects. And then you realize, I need another me.

This happened last month. So I asked around and found myself a mini-me. She's great. She's really into her job, asks the right questions, we chuckle at the same jokes and she even works outside her hours to complete assignments. A keeper, and I'm glad we get to pay her a bit to compensate for her labor. But she only gets to stay on for this project...

...Because my boss happened to hire another intern for my project around the same time I found my mini-me. Someone he found through an old acquaintance. She's a girl a plastic smile plastered on her face, and her head is perpetually cocked to one side. She has an affinity for the girly frills and ribbons: we have the same cell phone model, but hers is bright pink with a cute teddy bear phone strap that is bigger than the phone itself. She already has a day job, and can come only twice during the week from 6 to 8 (now who ever said I was staying that late) and Saturdays, but eager to get the feel of this industry. She seems sincere enough... maybe a little too.

I've had her for about two weeks now. That's not long. But she has already given me enough stories to make my stomach hurt from laughing so much. It saddens me that she's gone for the next week and a half. Meanwhile, I will recount her episodes, longing for her return. I am horrible. I know. But she is just too precious not to share....