One offer can make your whole life spiral out of control. If I had known then what I knew now, I would have declined. But I was flying high. Back then, I had my whole life ahead of me and everything was falling into place.
Just when did it start falling apart?
Well, I’ll let you decide.
***
I had just stepped out of my last class at the University of Kentucky when my advisor hurried toward me in the hallway.
“Rose,” Mr. Ellison said with a beaming smile. Reaching me, he pressed his hand on his chest and took a moment to catch his breath before saying, “How does it feel to have completed your master’s?”
“It feels great. I was starting to think this day would never come. Well, that’s all provided I passed all of my finals.”
He waved me off. “I’m sure you did great. You have worked hard for this. I am incredibly proud of you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Ellison,” I said.
He turned back toward the hall and outstretched his arm to me as if inviting me to walk with him. “I have great news. If you will follow me to my office.”
I couldn’t figure out why I needed to go to his office to hear the great news, but I followed him anyway.
“You won’t believe this,” he said, glancing over at me as we walked. “I sent your dissertation to a colleague of mine, and he came all this way to—”
“Wait,” I said, interrupting him as I turned and gave him a wide-eyed stare. “You did what?”
His smile widened. “He has traveled all the way from Virginia to offer you a position at his biopharmaceutical company.”
I felt my jaw drop. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to feel frustrated with him for sending my paper to a colleague without my knowledge or thrilled to death that I had gained the start of my career because of it.
“This is an opportunity of a lifetime, Rose,” he said as he gestured for me to keep walking. “Offers like this don’t come to us every day.”
As we reached his office, I managed to pull my jaw back up to its normal position. I followed him through his open doorway and found a man with graying hair and dressed in dark gray slacks and a bright white dress shirt standing at the window and peering down at the campus grounds below.
When Mr. Ellison quietly cleared his throat, the man turned around to face us.
“Rose, meet Dr. Adrian Winslow, founder and CEO of Crispen Biopharmaceuticals,” Mr. Ellison said.
Dr. Winslow gave me a warm smile as he stepped forward and extended his hand. “Miss Harper, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Baffled and speechless, I set my hand in his.
He grasped my hand in a firm grip and held it as he said, “Mr. Ellison here shared with me your dissertation on neurodegenerative diseases, and I have to say I was quite impressed.”
I blushed.
He released my hand and then gestured toward the chairs in front of Mr. Ellison’s desk. “Please, have a seat.”
While I set my bookbag on the floor by one of the chairs and sat down, the men stepped behind the desk. Dr. Winslow picked up an open manila folder and studied it for a few seconds before setting it back down and then propping a hip on the desk and folding his arms over his chest.
“I understand you have completed your master’s degree in biomedical sciences here at the University of Kentucky.” When I nodded, he added, “As your advisor might have mentioned, I am prepared to offer you a position as a researcher at my biopharmaceutical company in Weston, Virginia.”
“Oh,” I said, sounding surprised as I glanced at Mr. Ellison.
“As chance would have it, you would be working on a major project involving neurodegenerative diseases. Well, one disease in particular.”
My head was starting to spin as he spoke. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I hadn’t expected to be sought after to fill a position. I had expected to join the thousands of other applicants vying for a position as a researcher.
“Does this opportunity interest you?” he asked, cocking his head slightly as he leaned in a little closer.
I nodded quickly. “Oh, yes. Definitely.”
“Excellent. And the location is acceptable?”
“Yes, sir. I was expecting to relocate; I just wasn’t sure where.”
“I would like for you to start the end of June,” Dr. Winslow continued. “Will that give you enough time to relocate and get settled in?”
I was beaming despite my efforts at maintaining control of my emotions. I had just spent the last month pooling over slim pickings for job listings in Kentucky that were even remotely related to my field of choice. The best biopharmaceutical companies were located in virtually every state but Kentucky. I knew it was inevitable that I would be moving out of state.
I forced a calm breath as I nodded. “It will, Dr. Winslow. I am very much looking forward to starting.”
“Excellent,” he replied with a smile as he rose back to his feet and reached out his hand.
I followed suit and placed my hand in his.
“I shall expect you, say June 25th, to sign necessary documents?”
I gave his hand an affirmative shake as I nodded my head. “That sounds great.”
“I will have my secretary contact you around that time to schedule your meeting with our HR department. She will also send over an official offer letter. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.”
“Thank you. I will be there.”
He bowed politely and then he turned to Mr. Ellison and shook his hand. After a brief moment of thanks, he left the room.
“Well,” Mr. Ellison said, turning to me with a big smile, “that was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting to see Dr. Winslow in my office after my inquiry from weeks ago went unacknowledged.”
I frowned, a little puzzled. “You mean he showed up unannounced?” When he nodded, I asked, “Why now then?”
“I’m not sure, to be honest,” he replied, looking thoughtful. “But he would be crazy not to consider you for a position at his firm, especially after all of the incredible work you’ve accomplished this past year.”
I blushed. “Well, I appreciate all you’ve done, Mr. Ellison. I can’t thank you enough. I don’t know how long I’d be looking for a job. Now, I just have to share the news with David.”
“Ah, yes,” he replied with a nod. “It will be a change for both of you.”
