Working in France, The Summer Job

When I left university I found it very difficult to get a job. I was unemployed for almost two years. Eventually, my Mother found a job for me. It was a small ad in the newspaper that wanted someone who was personable, clean, honest and nonthreatening. My Mum thought it was me. I sent an application in with all my details. I waited for almost three weeks to get a response and thought they'd forgotten me. When they phoned to arrange an interview they were cautious and polite. They wanted to assess my suitability for a probationary position and said they also wanted to see evidence of my creativity.

I was on time for the interview. It was in a hotel room. I was suspicious about what was happening. The lady and man seemed very caring. We sat and shared coffee as we talked. They said they wanted a young man who is mature enough to cope with challenges and has a caring, outgoing disposition. We talked for about half an hour. I told them it wasn't normal for me to talk about myself. They told me they were interested in me and had positive feelings I would fit into their company very well.

The woman introduced the man as John and herself as Jenny. She said her company was one that demanded complete discretion from its employees because of the sensitive nature of its business. They looked at the evidence of creativity I'd brought. They were impressed by the photo album and said it was very aesthetic. They looked at the bags I'd sewn and liked the skills and competence with the design. When they saw my drawings they loved the detail.

Jenny asked if I knew anything about incontinence. I thought it was a very strange thing to ask. I was cautious with my reply.

"You mean being in France?" Jenny and John looked at each other for a moment and burst out laughing. When they finally settled John explained incontinence was when someone doesn't have control of either their bladder or bowel, mostly bladder. I was embarrassed and acknowledged my mistake.

"I have a lot to learn," I told them. Jenny smiled.

"My company deals in incontinence products for adults. We design, make and sell them. We strive to have the best products of their kind on the market at a reasonable price. We're proud of our products. They improve the lives of our customers immeasurably. Ten years ago the company imported and distributed the products of foreign companies. There was a huge maritime strike and it couldn't get the products. The company collapsed. I bought it and we decided to make our own. It was a massive challenge. At first we copied the products of others. Then we discovered we were copying their problems too. We spent a lot on research and development. We still do. It is a condition of employment that you participate in the research at least as a subject. If your application is successful you will be employed in the manufacture and you will often be required to test our products. We don't want you to be bashful. This is a requirement of everyone employed by my company, including myself. My company depends on having a superior product for its survival so the research is meticulous and highly intrusive. It also depends on sensitive sales promotion and after sales care." Then she asked if I thought I would be comfortable working for her company and, if our present roles were reversed, would I hire me?

I had to think for a while. I was honest. I told her the nature of the company's business was surprising. I thought I would trust me to be an honest and discrete employee. I would like to be involved with everything I knew about so far. They smiled in response.

The next requirement is that you go for a medical, the man said. We'd like you to see our doctor. If you ring the same number again we'll give you an appointment. I agreed. You will be accompanied at your medical by a member of our staff. Do you agree? Again, I agreed. The interview was concluded. Jenny and John stood and I did too. They warmly shook my hand and I left. It was a strange feeling being almost employed. On the bus, the more I thought about it the more questions I had. As I thought I realised I didn't know enough to be able to think of appropriate questions to get the answers I needed. It was all about me worrying I'd be made a fool of.

At home Mum asked how I went. I wasn't sure what to say. I told her I thought I'd done okay and now needed a medical. She was very pleased. She wanted to know about the job and I told her it was a company that made and sold medical supplies and I'd be involved with making them, if I got the job. Mum crossed her fingers for me and smiled. Fortunately, it was enough to make her happy. I don't think I could have told her any more because I wasn't sure my self. It's easy to listen to people but it isn't so easy to completely understand what they're saying. I rang and the medical was to be in three days. I worried about it a little and reassured myself by asking what could go wrong with a medical, I was young and fit.

I arrived five minutes early and checked in with the receptionist. She was friendly and reassuring. I was given a clipboard with forms to fill out. I slowly began. The first form asked about my medical history. It was exhaustive. Some things I didn't know and I wrote on the form I didn't know.

Another form was about confidentiality. I read it through and it seemed okay. I had no intention of telling anyone about my medical. I signed it. The next form was to give them rights to keep my medical records, the pictures and measurements taken and anything else the company deemed necessary in my employment. I worried a little about that but so far everyone had been lovely to me and I couldn't imagine how they could misuse them. The form granted them the right to use all the information and pictures and they would be retained within the company. I thought about it, wondered if I should ask and signed it. There were a few other forms to fill out but they seemed easy. I consented that if I were to become an employee I would have a medical done by a doctor of their choice every six months. Another form consented to the company using my body in research and in the promotion of their products and that nothing used outside the company would identify me unless they had my consent. I signed everything, wondering if I was making a mistake.

The receptionist smiled as she took the clipboard from me. I felt reassured and asked if she was a company employee. She acknowledged she was and she had filled out the same forms. Everyone in the company had, she said cheerfully. She stood, said "excuse me a moment," opened a door and disappeared behind it as it closed. I returned to my chair and looked around the room while I waited. A couple of minutes later the receptionist returned and said it won't be long.

About a quarter of an hour later the door opened again and a man approached.

"Hi," he said, "I'm Russell- your nurse for today. Please come with me." The receptionist slid off her chair and followed.

"I'm Sue and the company requires that I'm present for your medical," she said. I was surprised but gave a grin to indicate consent. We were led by Russell into a large room and Russell started doing my blood pressure. Sue sat beside me and watched. Then he took my pulse.

"Mm," he said in a very professional way. When he'd written them down he asked me to get out of my clothes and leave them on a chair. He stood back and watched.

"Do I get a gown?" I asked. He gave me a look that suggested gowns were very unusual. I started to undress. Tie and shirt were first. Then shoes and socks. I looked at Sue and Russell to confirm I was on the right track. I took off my pants and looked at Russell again.

"Everything?" I asked.

"Yes. Everything." I looked at Sue again and she looked back at me without adding anything. I stooped, pulled my undies down and stepped out of them. It felt cool and weird being the only one naked but I recognised I was the only one getting a medical.

"Now we'll see the doctor. Please follow me," Russell said. I followed him and Sue followed me. We went into a corridor and stopped at a door. Russell knocked.

"Come in," a voice called from inside. The room was warmer. A woman approached holding out her hand for me. I shook it.

"You're Tim?" she asked and without stopping said, "I'm Doctor Pheelman. We have a lot to do." She indicated a table for me to sit on. I sat. It felt strange being the only one naked. So far it was okay. The one eyed britches buster was behaving. Doctor Pheelman put her hand under my chin, lifted my head and looked at my face. Then she ran her hands through my hair and felt my scalp. From there she ran her hands over my neck. Russell handed her a tongue depressor, she looked inside my mouth and recorded her findings on a form. She put the stethoscope ends in her ears and ran the cold metal over me, asking that I breathe deep. It took some time. She threw the stethoscope onto a table and started to palpate my chest, paying particular attention to my nipples. From there they went to my abdomen and she carefully palpated everywhere. Her hands went to my shoulders and down my arms. She asked me to squeeze her hand with mine. So far, so good.

"Roll over, please," she asked. The table was narrow and I carefully rolled as Sue and Russell stood close on each side to keep me on it. The doctor started to palpate my back. She pushed with her thumb on each vertebra. It was okay. Russell put a thing on my finger and watched a screen to see what the numbers were. It was interesting. Then she went to my legs and pushed with her thumbs into my muscles.

"Do you play any sport?" she asked.

"Marathons," I said. "Nothing else."

"Mm." was her professional response. When she got to my ankles her thumbs dug in with more determination. When she finished with the thumb work she put a hand under me to indicate I be on my knees. Without warning I felt her separate the cheeks of my bum and something cold slide in. We waited. Someone took the thermometer out. The moments on my knees seemed to appeal to the one eyed britches buster. It swelled embarrassingly. I was glad it wasn't so obvious to everyone. Sue was writing something in her note book. Then the doctor asked me to lie down and turn over. It was embarrassing. I took my time and my dick continued its enlargement. When Doctor Pheelman saw it she sighed with what I thought was relief and took it in her hand.

"So good to see you," she said to the miscreant, "I've been wondering when you'll emerge," and she gave it a few strokes as though to encourage it. I was very surprised. Then she went back to her thumb work and dug them into my feet, ankles and knees. Eventually the thumb work was done and my penis still throbbed its attention. All of them were looking at it. I was embarrassed. Sue took a lot of pictures.

"We need your weight," the doctor said. "Sue will take you to the scales." I was going to ask if we could wait for a while to let things settle but Sue was walking. I got off the table and skipped a step to catch up. We went out the door we'd come in through. She turned left along another corridor and opened another door. She didn't stop and I rushed to keep up. The room was full of people, mostly women. They looked up and saw me. It was embarrassing because between Sue and me was my erection. No one seemed to mind and she stopped to talk to a woman. I stood back as they talked.

This is Mrs. Andrews," Sue said to me. I reached my hand to her and she reached to hold my dick. It was a surprise. She held it as they talked. It was time to go. I said, "bye," and with my dick bouncing I rushed again to keep up. At the far wall there were scales and Sue asked me to hop on. Then she moved the weights on the bar,quickly had my weight and wrote it in her notebook.

We went through the room again. Sue stopped to say hello to a man. It was strange. The man held my balls as they talked. Then we were walking again. I was lost but Sue wasn't. We were soon back in the doctor's room. The doctor wanted to check me for hernias. She asked me to stand and when she had her fingers digging into my scrotum she asked me to cough, one side and then the other. Her fingers assessed my testicles and felt them for bumps and lumps. I was asked to lie on the table again. The doctor palpated my penis. I told her she should be careful. She asked why and I said an orgasm might happen. She laughed and said they often do and she stroked it a few times to tease me. The doctor moved aside and Sue asked how it was so far. I told her it was the most unusual exam I'd ever sat. They laughed. Sue said the company wanted to know of my suitability as a medical model. I'd already consented and she asked if I still agreed. I told her I did. She was pleased and said she needed to measure me and they needed a plaster cast of my pelvic area. I told her it would be okay.

Sue was very thorough with the measuring and there was a lot of attention to my penis and testicles. Russell took over when the measuring was done. He asked if he could shave me because it would then be possible to get a plaster cast done. I hadn't expected it but consented. The doctor stood back and watched. Russell quickly had me soaped up and the razor went over me. It wasn't long and my entire pelvic area was bald. It felt strange. He cleaned me thoroughly. I know my dick hadn't been handled as much by others as then. Sue rubbed liquid soap over me and I was ready. She stroked my dick a few times to maintain its erection and poured the plaster of Paris over me. It was cold and they laughed when I jumped. We waited for it to set and then carefully pulled it away. Sue cleaned me. My penis was still throbbing. One last thing, Russell said and he stroked my penis a few times, "we need semen samples." Sue adjusted the camera and brought it closer. Then she took hold of my penis and started sliding her hand up and down. It didn't take long. Russell had the container ready and caught the spurts. They were all smiling with the success. I was too breathless to laugh.

When I settled Sue started again, after explaining the company wanted to know the refractory time of all its employees. They were working on methods of extracting semen from men and in the interest of equality were looking at the design of something similar for women. It wasn't expected to be a best seller in medical use but could be fun toys and for those who occasionally needed them very useful. Research was ongoing. It didn't take long for her to get the next specimen. Then she measured my penis and testicles in their exhausted state and the medical exam was over. We went back to the examination room where I dressed. Jenny, the boss came into the room and told me I had the job as a probationary employee for four months. They needed help over summer while demand for their products was greater. I was to start next Monday.

"Well done," Sue congratulated me. "You did very well. You know, we've all been through this. It's important that we don't employ prudes. If you'd like, you can see my last medical on your computer. The company provides us all with a computer and everyone's medical is available to be seen. Even Jenny's. We all have a good look at hers. Doctor Pheelman's is there, Russell's and mine too. I have a feeling yours is going to be very popular. Everyone enjoys them and since we've been doing it there has been a lot more harmony and productivity in the company. We can't afford to employ anyone who doesn't participate willingly in research."

At home Mum wanted to know how the medical went. I told her I passed. She smiled. I wondered if she knew something I didn't. When I told her I had the job she was thrilled and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I was so pleased with myself.

On Monday I was early again and went to reception. The woman there took me to the boss's office. Jenny was pleased to see me. She said to wait, she had a few things to do and twenty minutes later we went on a tour of the factory.

Jenny was proud of her factory. She showed me how adult incontinence aids are made and a machine I'd be working on. It took some time. Everyone there was dressed strangely, they had big plastic pants on. Jenny told me they were trialling new incontinence pants. The research division was trying to work out exactly where the absorbent alginate should be packed. It was very difficult. There was no point in having it in places that never got wet. She said I'd be participating in the trial soon. Everyone seemed busy and happy and I said okay. She introduced me to some but I immediately forgot their names. Then we went to the sales part of the factory. Everything was beautifully presented. I had to ask what the function of a lot of the products was. I was thoroughly unfamiliar with it all and promised I'd learn quickly.

Then we went to the warehouse where the alginates and fabrics were stored prior to being used. It was a big area. I was shown where the toilet was. She said there was only one and it was for both male and female. Nothing was hidden and at first it was uncomfortable but as the woman who suggested it said, we're used to it now and don't want it any other way. We went inside and there were a lot of toilets lined along a wall with no partitions to provide privacy. Jenny went to one, lifted her skirt pulled down her undies and sat on it. I heard the gush of urine as it hit the pan. She wiped, then stood, tidied herself, washed her hands and we were on our way again. She told me I didn't have to look away, everyone likes being watched.

The next stop was the computer room. Jenny showed me the computer I'd been allocated and turned it on. We waited. When it started to work she showed me the emails. Then she changed to something about the company. A picture came up of a penis and testicles. I was surprised, especially when the camera zoomed back and it was me. She fiddled again and a vulva came up, so much detail. The camera zoomed back and it was Jenny.

"We do this because of the nature of our business. We can't afford to be shy or secretive, everyone needs to know about the pelvic region and genitalia as that is what we're about. Later, you can have a closer look," she said. As we left the room I saw my penis on another woman's screen. Jenny told me none of the computers were online but all were linked. Nothing leaves the building.

The next stop was research and development. Along the walls were a lot of plaster pelvises. She told me they were used for measuring and inspiration. She showed me mine and hers. It was strange, like a trophy room of human pelvises, half of them having erect penises. As we walked along the row I noticed an examination table ahead of us.

"We're working on dribbling incontinence. We insert a small catheter and put a pad on. I'll go first." She bent to remove her panties, stepped out of them and put them in her pocket. Then she got onto the examination table and pulled her skirt up.

"Don't offend me by looking away. Be involved," she said. I felt very awkward. A woman approached with two small kidney dishes. In one was a foil of lubricant, something black and a syringe. In the other was a packet of normal saline, forceps and some swabs. Jenny said Helen would explain everything and would need my help. Helen showed me the stirrups and together we put them up and rested Jenny's legs in them. Then she opened the swabs and normal saline. She asked me to open the forceps pack and not to touch the business end of them. Helen told me to open Jenny's vulva and wash it with swabs. She showed me how to separate her labia with my fingers. One stroke from top to bottom and discard to repeat it with the next swab until all the swabs but one were gone. The last swab was to dry the area. Then she asked me to pick up the black thing she called a catheter with the forceps and she squirted it with lubricant. Helen showed me where the urethral meatus was and asked me to insert the catheter. I worried I'd make a mess of it but with shaky hands managed to push the catheter in. Then Helen found the syringe and put it in the catheter to blow up a balloon. With that done she sprayed something red all around Jenny's pelvic region.