My summer intern

A comment I left today got me thinking about someone I havn’t heard from in a while. I’ve also been contemplating just how personal I want to be on this blog, as people who know me read it. I’m sure most of you have things that you would love to say or talk about but never will in a public forum. However, here’s a tidbit from my past that is relatively innocent but worth sharing.

Many years ago, in my former life as a chemist, I held a job as Quality Control Manager for a zinc electroplating shop. One summer, I was asked if I could use a chemical engineering student as an intern for the summer. Her mother was a friend of the VP of the company. Of course, I said yes. The intern turned out to be a lovely young lady I will call AD (who now goes by AW). AD and I hit it off right away. She was outgoing and didn’t mind working with the guys. We early on began “flirting” in that there was lots of sexual innuendo in our banter and day to day dealings. At the time, I was 30/31 ish and she was about 21. She didn’t mind that I was a married older guy with a kid, and I didn’t mind that she didn’t mind. As I said, she was a attractive young lady that I got to work with every day. Where’s the down side?

During the course of the 3 months we worked together, I learned much about AD. I learned she liked it when older guys asked her out. She’d usually go out with them for a meal (lunch or dinner), let them pay, then go home. She never once attempted to have a relationship with them, only free food. On her part, she was honest and up front about it, so it’s not like she was taking advantage of them. I learned that she had to wear matching underwear. Bra and panties, same color, same line. I don’t know if this is a big deal with women or not. My wife wears panties from Victoria’s Secret (cotton bikinis) and bras that fit. They’re pretty much all neutral colors but they certainly don’t always match. Pink panties and beige bra? No problem. But I digress.

I also learned that AD was a compulsive neat freak. All her things were folded neatly and placed properly in a drawer. Socks did not go in the underwear drawer. And she alphabetized her Kool-Aid. That’s right people, alphabetical order. I was dying to go to her house and put the Fruit Punch flavor before the Cherry.

My favorite story about AD was the day we had a female customer come to the shop. There was a quality issue with some of the parts we sent them, so she came to our shop. I discovered that the summer “uniform” for this company was khaki shorts and white polo shirts. So, in walks this nice looking gal in shorts above the middle of her thigh and a tight white polo shirt. I stayed professional and we discussed the quality issues. My peer that managed manufacturing made sure to stick his head in to say hi, since he was a lecherous kind of guy. As soon as the woman walked out the door, AD looks at me and says, “What a slut!” I laughed my ass off. Women can be so catty it isn’t funny.

AD and I have kept in touch periodically through the years. She was kind enough to invite my wife and I to her wedding, a nice little fall affair in a quaint 18th century inn. There was a bagpipe guy and the ceremony was in the garden. It was one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever seen. I haven’t spoken to her in a couple of years. I’m planning on touching base again. Next time she’s in town, we need to try to get together and catch up. It’s a shame losing touch with old friends.

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