I don't know if it was a dream or the effect of cold coffee. But when I went down to the duty station in the morning, the cat was already there. He was sitting at the door to the manager's office, looking at me with that "don't ask, just open it" look of his, and he had something in his mouth.

- No, no...," I said to myself. - It can't be...

It was rat. But not the usual kind. He had pinned badge On a tiny fluorescent strip. Like nothing - from our purified access card. On the back - a handwritten inscription: "TRAINEe - Biohazard Control Department"..

🐾 07:12 - New employee

- Halina, he didn't escape from the lab for you? - I asked over the intercom.

- This one? That's Romek. But after all, we disposed of him... - and here she stammered. - I mean... procedurally.

Rat sat proudly on the keyboard in the manager's office, reviewing (I kid you not) the monthly reports. The cat sat next to him and looked pleased, as if he had just been recommended for an internal escape specialist position.

Before I had time to react, the login system logged the user in: R.Romek_Intern. The message showed: "Access granted. Privileges: level 2.5 - limited monitoring."

🖥️ 07:20 - The manager is back

Of course the manager entered exactly then, while Romek was analyzing the digester charts. He stood, looked at me, then at the cat, then at the rat - and without a word he took the coffee out of the microwave. He opened a notebook, wrote something down and left, muttering:

- If something works, don't touch it. Even if it's a rodent.

Romek stayed on. And I got an email from HR asking if we wanted to introduce an interdisciplinary internship program for the unclassified persons in the PESEL database.

📎 08:05 - Internal Statement

Halina wrote in a note: "Romek demonstrates strong adaptive competence, documentation orientation and resistance to microclimatic conditions. I recommend him to the team."

Franek, in turn, printed him a small mug with the words "Data Rescue" on it, and the cat... the cat brought him another access card. Where he got it - no one knows. But he had a type face: "I'm just recruiting. The paperwork is your business."

🧠 Final Reflection

We have strange days at the treatment plant. But The day a rat brought by a cat became a new employee, I will remember for a long time.

The moral? If he has a badge - do not stop. He may be doing something more important than you.