News stories generate thinking

I was hired to hire by a big concern

digging out facts and trying to learn

what things applicants were trying to hide

perhaps negative attitudes deep inside

Or even bad things they had done in the past

and how they had lost the job they held last.

My qualifications are classified, but I’m the best they could find

I’ll tell only you my secret, it’s because I read minds.

I hear people’s thoughts, my gift, my burden to bear,

but my family has to eat, and my employers don’t care.

Here’s one quick example of a recent day’s interview

which scared me a lot, see if it also does you.

"Dr. Bin-Ghazi," I said, "you’re a neurosurgeon I see."

"Yes, sir, an accomplished and respected doctor, that’s me."

"Trained and interned in Teheran, then on staff in Pakistan?"

"Learning never ends." You left out the jihadist camp in Afghanistan.

"So you’re good at saving lives then, it’s what you do best?"

"Yes, I am." Except for you foul, Godless pigs of the west

"Sorry if these question seem rude, opening personal doors."

"Quite all right." Payback is coming soon to you and yours.

"Of course you follow the Hippocratic Oath as all doctors do?"

"Naturally." Death to America, may Allah burn all of you.

"Thought about the Islamic terrorist doctors imprisoned in Britain now?"

"Horrible, mislead fools." See you in Paradise, my brothers, fulfill our holy vow.

"Dr. Bin-Ghazi, this preliminary meeting was useful, we’ll be in touch."

"Oh my pleasure, sir," he said with a hint of sarcastic smile, "thank you so much."

I rose, shook his hand as he left, then picked up the phone.

"Find his contacts, bug his home, tail him 24-7, don’t leave him alone."

I thought to myself, This craziness never ends,

why is it so damn hard for people to be friends?

If this doctor chose, he could do so much good in our times,

but instead would rather commit the most heinous crimes.

I put on my coat and went down to the front door,

weary of this new world that’s not the same any more,

wishing in vain we could go back to earlier days

when fear did not rule and make us all change our ways.

Home at my house where I had a more normal life

I hugged my daughter and kissed my wife.

"Oh, daddy," daughter said, "can I take the bus to the mall?"

"Uh, no, sorry honey." It’s just not safe, you see...not safe at all.