Hatred Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I couldn’t believe it, 18 and ½ years of school and it’s all over with a piece of paper in my hand I was shoved out into the real world and was expected to get a job and be a productive member of society when a month ago I showed up many of my 8am classes with a deadly hangover and now I have letters after my name and the health of another person is in my hands. First I should introduce myself, my name is Presley Adams, born and raised in Philadelphia. As of a few weeks ago I’m a board certified Athletic Trainer. I knew I wanted to be a doctor since I was little but when my parents died when I was 15 I knew paying for medical school was out of the picture I was barely able to afford to pay my high school tuition let alone a $50,000 a year university. Somehow I managed to get through my undergrad with Deans List and honors allowing me to have to pick of the athletic training school all over the country. I was accepted to Temple University, UCLA, and UT Southwestern Medical School. I could never imagine leaving Philadelphia so of course as soon as I received my letter of acceptance to Temple I was signing my letter of intent the same day. So here I am 2 years later with a degree in my hand without a job. They never tell you when you start the whole college thing that you’re not guaranteed a job and that’s where I’m stuck. I’m thousands of dollars in debt working as a bartender at a sports bar in South Philadelphia. The tips are good but the hours suck and I could really do without the drunk patrons trying to cop a feel as I walk by. I’ve sent my resume everywhere hoping to hear something I even sent a letter to my old high school. They offered me a job paying less then what I would make at the bar so I decided to pass. Some would say that was a dumb choice but the bills aren’t going to pay themselves so really the money is most important right now. When I started my undergraduate degree I imagined life when I graduated being an athletic trainer for the Flyers or the Eagles making so much money and living the dream life, what I had in mind after graduation looked nothing like how my life was at that moment. Little did I know what when I went to work that night it would be my last shift as a bartender. I was a few hours into an afternoon shift that was usually very slow. I sat behind the bar waiting for someone to buy a drink when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Usually I was too busy to look at my phone but thankfully I took this call. It was from an unknown number but I answered in the hopes of it being a potential job offer.
“Hello?” “Yes, hello, is this Presley Adams?”
“This is she, may I ask who is calling?” “This is Chris Stewart I’m the head athletic trainer with the Pittsburgh Penguins, how are you?”
“I’m fine Mr. Stewart, how are you” “I’m excellent, so I have on my desk here your resume and transcript from Temple University on of you athletic training instructors sent it over to me because I put out word we are looking for a new AT for the team and we’re trying to integrate more females onto our training staff seeing as we don’t have any so she told me you were one of the only students she would put herself behind and I have to say I’m quite impressed and I see why she was willing to back you up” “ Oh wow, thank you so much that really means a lot but I guess my question is what can I help you with Mr. Stewart?” “Well I was hoping if possible you could come out to Pittsburgh and come meet with me and we’ll go over details of everything?” ~2 Weeks Later~

So here I am driving 5 hours from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for an interview with the absolute last place I would ever have hoped to get a job. Being from Philadelphia comes a certain amount of…hatred of the Penguins organization to put it mildly but here I am driving across the state to the enemy. Every single one of my friends were shocked to find out where I was hoping to get a job but I had to explain to them some of the perks of working for a NHL team including the number on the checks every week. 5 ½ hours later I pulled into the hotel parking lot where I was staying for a few days during my interview. Mr. Stewart explained that it would be a 3 part interview: oral based, written, and manual muscle testing. Much like the test for the boards that I had taken a few months prior. I spent the last two weeks studying and making sure I was absolutely ready.
The first and second phase of the interview process were the easiest but today I was having my gross muscle interview it was basically to make sure I knew muscles, and injury tests and how to wrap injuries. I walked into the trainer’s room a few hours after the Penguins had finished practice. I was happy there weren’t going to be any players around because I wasn’t as versed in hiding my displeasure with certain players. As I walked in I heard a few men’s voices talking, I opened the door to a sight most people would love to see but for me it was hell. There was Chris Stewart the head athletic trainer, Curtis Bell the assistant athletic trainer, and Rick Joeritz the teams physical therapist. The three men would be judging my abilities and deciding my future with them team. It wasn’t the medical staff that bothered me but rather who was sitting on the table: Sidney Crosby, Steve Downie, and Beau Bennett.
“Presley come on in it’s great to see you again” Chris welcomed introducing me to the other medical staff and the players “This is a two part exam it seems like you've already passed the first test most times we have prospective employees who are brilliant fumble at the 1 yard line because they come in here and see players and completely lose it but you seem fine so I’m absolutely relived so how about we start the testing?”

Notes

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