Day 1 operation Do Not Fire Me. Status: Not Fired.

I did make on serious but non fatal error. This was after 8 hours of, dare I say it, pretty good science. So I think the day went fairly well. And so to celebrate another lab anecdote.

Early one morning in my first month there the pretty Puerto Rican grad student approached me with a question/statement, "Tom, you took my pippeter yesterday and didn't bring it back." This was said in a matter of fact way with an accent that is difficult to convey over the internet.

I responded to this accusation with righteous defensiveness. "No no, it wasn't me!" A pause, "Well maybe it was...probably...yeah yeah I borrowed it and forgot to put it back. Sorry."

She smiled as the victorious tend to. "Your mouth said no. But your eyes said yes."

Not to be crossed that one.

Also, on the walk home today I saw a firetruck and ambulance parked outside the residence of an elderly neighbor. I also thought I smelled smoke, but that may only have been because I heard the firetruck sirens as I approached. I didn't know the man well, but I did deliver his paper for 5 years, so I hope it's nothing serious.