"Miss 10"

I have a great boss.

I know we're supposed to say things like that in public - and since this is a public blog where I've made no attempt to disguise my identity, I pretty much have to say that.

But having to say it doesn't make the fact that she's fabulous any less true.

Every Friday afternoon, we have a staff meeting, exchange kits for the week and get any materials we need for our science clubs and workshops. It's crowded and chaotic, as people run around checking lists and telling stories about their week.

I walked into the office carrying a pile of science stuff, dropped it on a table, and turned to say hi to my boss.

"Hey Mel! Oh boy do you ever owe me a big!" She said this with a strange smile, almost looking grim.

"Um. What did I do?!"

"Don't worry about it right now - just get the rest of your stuff. Then we'll talk."

Twenty minutes later, I was chatting with my co-workers when my boss came back into the room, saying "Okay Mel, close your eyes".

Not knowing what to expect, I did as I was told.

I heard a swooshing sound, then felt something go over my head and onto my shoulders.

"Okay, open your eyes" she said, grinning at me.

She had placed a sash made out of brown paper towel over my shoulders, Miss America style, with the words "Miss 10" written across it. Baffled, I looked up at her and asked what it meant.

Looking jubilant, she said, "Well, I got a call from JB (not his real name) yesterday. After talking to Kyle about what type of information I should have prepared, I called him back this morning."

"Oh my god! What did you say?!"

"Well, I told him all about how horrible you are; unreliable, unfriendly, can't depend on you, you never pay attention to your material - you know, stuff like that".

"Please tell me you're kidding!" (which she clearly was)

This time she smiled proudly and said "He asked me to rate you on several different factors on a scale from 1 to 10. I started to laugh halfway through because I just kept repeating "10. 10. 10" She giggled and rolled her eyes.

"I told him that I wanted to say you were horrible so he wouldn't hire you! Then I told him how great you are."

Cue "Miss 10" running across the room, leaping over a box full of chemicals to hug her boss the same way people hug their friends.

Thanks to her, I was one step closer...