The Search For A Future Continues.

My situation at my parent's house was not much better than my situation at college. Whenever the government would do something to irritate me, such as tampering with my mail, my parents would refuse to discuss it with me. They would only reply that I should take my medication to help with my "mental illness". The situation became so tense that I avoided my parents as much as possible. I just couldn't understand how my parents could sacrifice my life out of fear of the government. To me, there is a point where you say enough is enought no matter who or what the evil is.

My attempts to find another research position was not producing any positive results. I had an interview with B&T Chemicals in September and the interview had gone extremely well. My experience at RAM was exactlly what B&T wanted, my chemical background fit their needs very well and one of the people who was to make the final decision was a University of Florida graduate which meant we had some common acquantences. I couldn't have asked for a better situation. I had left the interview with positive feelings and I was sure I would have received an offer if my situation were normal. Of Course, my situation was anything but normal.

About four weeks passed before I finally received a call from B&T secretary who asked if I was still interested in the position. She said a decision was going to be made the next day and that I was "high on the list". I said I was definitely interested and that I would need a response in quickly. I was then told I would be informed by phone of their decision within a day or two. I hung up the phone thinking that I had been through the same "we'll call you" scenario with RAM about six months earlier. As I expected, I never received a phone call and when I called back several days later, I could not get any kind of definitive answer in regards to the position available.

I never did receice any kind of response from B&T Chemicals. The whole experience had been used to create a lot of anxiety and in the end I was left with no job.

The episode with B&T Chemicals convincedf me that I should look elsewhere for some hope for survival. With the United Nations being only about 100 miles away, I decided to look to foreign countries for help. I drew up a form letter explaining my situation and in late November, I went to New York City to visit the United Nations Missions. Within a few city blocks, there are over a hundred different countries represented.

I concentrated by efforts on smaller, third-world countries which might be able to use my technical and teaching skills in some capacity. I avoided countries which I considered close allies of the U.S. I merely walked into a mission, handed the letter to the representative present and then answered any questions I was asked.

I weas pleasantly surprised at how well I was received at most missions. Many missions expressed regret over my problems with amerikan government, and then they would discuss possible positions that I might fill in their country. Unfortunately, most of the countries I approached had little or no chemical or computer industries, but some still expressed interest in my teaching skills. Several countries promised to reply by mail in a couple of weeks.