For about one hour in June 1965 I thought I had landed a job at the White House. During the winter and spring of my sophomore year in college I spent almost every free minute trying to get a summer job in Washington, DC. Back then there were no cell phones, no computers and certainly no email. Applying for a job was a tedious process involving typewriters, postage stamps and "long distance" phone calls from the pay phone in the dorm "smoker."
In early June, I attended graduation week at Georgetown University and while I was in DC I inquired at several agencies about my job status. The replies were not encouraging and the ride home up the Jersey Turnpike after the graduation was long and gloomy.
Almost the minute I got home, though, I got a call from Western Union. They read me a telegram that said I had a summer internship in Washington in the Office of Saline Water. I was excited and told my mother about the call.She said: "Oh my God! I think Saline Water works at the White House!" I said "Oh my God, that's incredible!" and jumped for joy.
A short while later the actual telegram was delivered and it became clear that indeed I had a summer job in Washington and that it was in the Office of Saline Water. But Saline Water turned out to be a branch of the Department of the Interior that dealt with issues of desalinating water and not a glamourous executive in the White House!
My mother and I had a great laugh over this misunderstanding but I admit to having been a little disappointed. I enjoyed a very interesting summer in Washington after all and actually did make several visits to the White House "on business." As for the Office of Saline Water. There's still a lot of salty water in the world!
In early June, I attended graduation week at Georgetown University and while I was in DC I inquired at several agencies about my job status. The replies were not encouraging and the ride home up the Jersey Turnpike after the graduation was long and gloomy.
Almost the minute I got home, though, I got a call from Western Union. They read me a telegram that said I had a summer internship in Washington in the Office of Saline Water. I was excited and told my mother about the call.She said: "Oh my God! I think Saline Water works at the White House!" I said "Oh my God, that's incredible!" and jumped for joy.
A short while later the actual telegram was delivered and it became clear that indeed I had a summer job in Washington and that it was in the Office of Saline Water. But Saline Water turned out to be a branch of the Department of the Interior that dealt with issues of desalinating water and not a glamourous executive in the White House!
My mother and I had a great laugh over this misunderstanding but I admit to having been a little disappointed. I enjoyed a very interesting summer in Washington after all and actually did make several visits to the White House "on business." As for the Office of Saline Water. There's still a lot of salty water in the world!
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