I needed one night where nobody was asking me to understand.
The next morning, I called him.
“I want the full offer.”
He looked surprised.
“Everything.”
He handed me the folder.
I read every page.
Salary.
Schedule.
Call requirements.
Relocation.
Start date.
Benefits.
Housing.
Then I noticed something.
“When did you fly to Oregon?”
He froze.
“What?”
“When did you interview in person?”
He didn’t answer.
“When?”
“The conference in May.”
I closed the folder.
“May.”
“Yes.”
“So this didn’t begin four months ago.”
“The first official conversation was four months ago.”
“And before that?”
He looked down.
“I visited the hospital.”
I stared at him.
“You interviewed in May.”
“Informally.”
“Ben.”
“I wanted to see the place.”
“Without telling me.”
“Yes.”
I stood up.
“I need space.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
That afternoon, I went into his office looking for my phone charger.
His laptop was still open.
A message appeared on the screen.
Then a voice came through the speakers.
“We’re still happy to honor the schedule you negotiated.”
I stopped.
Ben walked in behind me.
“What schedule?”
He sighed.
“Fewer overnight calls.”
“Anything else?”
“Two later starts.”
“And?”
He hesitated.
“One Friday off every month.”
“For what?”
He looked uncomfortable.
