On Wednesday night, I ended up spending a lot of time in the lab. In fact I was in the lab from about 9:30 am- 2:30am (yeah, you do the math). To preface this, I’m always a bit, well, uncomfortable spending time in lab late at night.
I feel that this uncomfortable-ness is justified, though. Our building is connected to the hospital and there are no locked doors between the hospital and our building. Therefore, anyone who comes into the hospital can (and do) wander through our hallways. So, although I do lock the doors to the lab, I do feel a bit uneasy being in the lab at night. However, on Wednesday night I had company. My labmate (who is asking for permission to begin writing next Thursday) is in the throes of finishing up his last few experiments and is working off hours.
He, however, does think that I am overreacting. I found this out via a conversation we had that night.
Hey Labmate, I’m going to get water. Do you want any?, I asked him. Our water fountains are a good ways away from our lab. He didn’t want any so I left. And upon my arrival a few minutes later he asked, So, did you survive your mission?
Huh?, I replied.
You know, your mission to get water. I know that leaving the confines of the lab at night is high risk to you, he clarified.
Well, it is creepy here at night. No one around… no one to hear you scream, I told him.
I’m not scared here at night. It’s pretty much like it is during the day. You and Roommate are just paranoid, he said. (Roommate worked for our lab before going to grad school and she will most likely be joining our lab this summer.)
Well, aren’t you lucky. Besides I’m probably more of a target than you are because I’m a woman. I was being a bit defensive, perhaps.
Yep, I enjoy being a guy. It’s definitely good. No one is going to attack me, he bragged.
Thanks a bunch, I told him rather sarcastically.
No problem. Ha, ha you’re a woman!
Grrrr.
Oh, what a funny labmate you have.
Seriously though, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’m with ya on being careful at night.
I absolutely agree. If you weren’t careful like this and something happened, everyone would say what an idiot you were for not being more careful.
oh, isn’t that just the nicest thing ever? He would probably be one of the first to blame you if you weren’t careful enough and something did happen too. Take your precautions, and be glad he’s finishing up soon so you don’t have to put up with that smarm.
Yeah, he’s hilarious! Seriously though, I think working in labs late at night (and even during the day on the weekend, without a lot of people around) is creepy and its really smart to be careful.
Do you think he was just trying to be funny? what a jerk. You should have ask him how much he liked being a guy after you kick him in the balls.