Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: IT'S CHILD'S PLAY (06/06/19)
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TITLE: Tumbling Words | Previous Challenge Entry
By Corinne Smelker
06/13/19 -
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I knocked on the open door. “Hi. Molly. Do you have a minute?”
“Sure. What do you need?” Molly briefly looked up at me from her computer, where I could see she had about 20 different tabs open on her browser, and at least five applications running across her three monitors. Her office space was crammed with files, software CDs, and awards. So many awards. She was the resident expert according to all the other team members, and had basically started the company with the CEO. She knew more about the product lines we offered than the next 20 people combined.
I stepped forward hesitantly, “Well. Frank told me to see you about a new product he wants to launch. He said you have all the details and can steer me in the right direction.” As I talked, she gestured to the only chair, so I sat and pulled out my laptop, ready to take notes.
“Hmmm,” her brown eyes cast around the room and back to her computer as she thought. “Ok. Here’s what you need.” I sat, fingers poised over my keyboard.
“First…” and off she set; words tumbling out one after the other like white-water rapids, and I was in the boat, being buffeted on every side by rocks, and water. I typed furiously, hoping I was catching everything, and understanding maybe twenty-five percent of what she said. I know she is speaking English, but I have no idea what she means!
As suddenly as the torrent of words started, they stopped. “Got it?” she asked, before turning back to her monitors and the mountain of work she faced.
“I think so.” I replied, looking at my Word document that was a series of bullet points and question marks. “Is it ok if I come back to you if I have more questions or need more details?”
A quick nod was my only response. Not promising. I could read people pretty well and Molly’s entire body screamed, “Leave me alone! I have work to do!”
I went back to my desk and looked at the notes. Now that I had a chance to read them I hoped the words would magically fall into place. It’s like the scripture, ‘But first we see in a mirror darkly.’ Hopefully understanding will follow!
I decided that Google was my new best friend and did some reading on the various topics relating to the project, but I was just not making that leap from seeing words on the screen to understanding how the product worked. Time to approach the expert again.
Molly was still plugging away. It looked like she had even more applications open, and I observed her opening and closing programs, copying and pasting and making everything look seamless.
I knocked quietly on the office door, “It’s me again,” I said.
“Yeah?” I could see the flash of impatience cross her face and eyes, quickly reined in.
“Well, I know you have already explained this product to me once, but would you mind going over some of it again?”
She swung fully around to face me. “Are you serious? I mean, do you even understand what we do here?”
I took a step back, “Gosh. I am sorry.”
“No. Wait. I am the who should apologise,” Molly smiled ruefully. “I forget that I’ve been in this industry since its infancy. In fact I pioneered some of it. It’s second nature to me now, but not easy for newbies. Sit.”
As I sat down, still a little unsure, I hoped one day I would be the expert, the one who understood the products inside and out. The one who could see the job as child’s play, and not the brain-drain it currently felt like.
“Ok. So first off…”
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