Where I work, we are considered a "teaching hospital".
Well, it is my month to instruct the Pathology Residents.
Please keep in mind that these people have already completed med school
and are now doing residency, therefore, they should be reasonably intelligent.
We have two path residents this month, and both are of Middle Eastern decent.
One is Egyptian, and the other is Saudi Arabian.
So, I have to give a bit a leniency for the language barrier.
Yes, they do speak English, and they do understand it, but
I don't always understand the English they speak.
Anyway, I was trying to explain to them how we set things up.
They have 5 unknown samples that they will have to identify the
microorganisms spiked into them.
They only have a week to do this, so today we were setting up their unknowns.
I explained how to set up a particular sample twice.
They were shifting plates around and obviously
only listening to every third word I said.
With a very confused look on their faces, they asked again how to set the culture up.
I lost my patience.
I raised my voice just slightly, and with severe agitation I said,
"For the THIRD TIME, you set the culture up THIS WAY.
It would really make it much easier if you would listen to me,
because you are wasting both your time and mine if you aren't going to pay attention."
They looked at me as if I were a three headed monster about to swoop
down out of the clouds and devour them.
they told me that they would be back tomorrow
with their listening ears on.
Instead of laughing at their rude attempt of a joke,
I simply gave them my most serious look and said,
"I need you to come in here EVERY DAY
with your listening ears on."
They solemnly walked out of the lab with
thier lab coat tails tucked between their legs.
I'm sure they were muttering certain obscenities
in a different language under their breath.
But they should feel lucky, because,
at least there isn't a full moon tonight.
So, I won't be turning into the werewolf and eating their souls after all!
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