"Well, I've always enjoyed riding, so horses and cattle are my first choice," Ted said. The look on the farmer's face showed irritation and Ted added, "But I guess horses, first and cattle second."
"Fine, fine, fine. First, you need a physical, my boy." He said leading him to a metal building that looked like a 1930's airplane hangar.
"A physical? Oh, I can have my doctor.."
"No, no. I employ my own doctor. What with the new health insurance and employment laws the way they are, I cannot take chances. But you look healthy enough, I'm sure Doc Morry will give you a clean bill of health and vaccinate you accordingly."
"Vaccinate? I've had my shots."
"Oh, swine flu, cowpox, and the like, anything you might catch or give the animals," the farmer casually explained.
The windowless steel door opened into a small anteroom with no ceiling. Ted could see the arc of the metal roof stretched the length of a football field. The farmer pushed a doorbell that was attached to the wall inside the small room. He gestured for Ted to sit on one of the two old chairs in the room. The sound of a fire alarm bell echoed through the hangar. The sounds of all sorts of livestock bellowing, baaing and squealing followed.
"Now when Doc Morry arrives," the farmer said nodding at the only other door in the ceilingless room, "Tell him you're here to be screened for an equine position. Equine, got it?"
"Yes, sir, I-"
"Fine, I have some other things to attend to, but I should be back before the good doctor is finished with you."
And the farmer disappeared out the door.
Ted mouthed the word, "Finished." It sounded a bit final. Ted usually was nervous around doctors, and this was no exception. Still the job paid $100 per hour.
He flipped through some of the magazines sitting in the basket between the chairs. "1987", "2001", finally one with a more recent date, "2014" he flipped through the Farm Journal there was dog-eared article about the merits of artificial insemination versus natural means. Ted hoped his job wasn't going to be collecting and implanting sperm from the farmer's stallions in the mares.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and a voice asked, "What are you here for?"