I'm 20 in my junior year of college. I decided to major in Plant Science hoping to work on weather-resistant species' of fruits and vegetables to thrive in adverse conditions. I am in a Botanical Research class where 20% of our final grade is composed of a partner project focused on a group of plants. We have been working on the project since the beginning of the year and our parents were selected randomly by our professor. Unfortunately, I had the displeasure of being paired with Jonathan Mckinley. Jonathan was a narcissist, in the most polite terms. I have spent almost the entirety of the semester being railroaded, down talked and questioned about my choices. If I had a dollar for every time he asked me, "Do you think we should go that route," on suggestions I had about the project I might be able to pay for my degree.
Today, our class is going to the Regional Cultivation and Agricultural Experimentation Garden in Newport. The garden is on a 640-acre plot of land mostly composed of garden pathways, various greenhouses, and vegetable rows. It was an hour bus ride from campus. Despite the disposition, I sit next to Jonathan so that we could go over the map and figure out where we needed to delegate our time. Each group's plants are spread through the lot so we all had to figure out where to be and for how long to gather the information we need.
"We should only spend 20 minutes at the eucalyptus plot so let's do that first. We need the majority of our time in the eclipse green room." Jonathan scribbles on the map marking each portion we need to visit.
"Jonathan, we already talked about how I want to make sure to get samples for my thesis in growth stunting chemicals. Plus, I don't want to collect them too early and risk losing the chemicals through the rest of the day." I sigh loudly pointing to the map.
"So what, you think we should do it last? When the sun will potentially go down and that's one of the outside lots?" He turned up lip disapprovingly. It's late July and I had decided to wear a dress to combat the heat and it was a garden after all. I pulled the map over onto my skirt.
'Again with this shit,' I thought. Jonathan was an attractive guy it was unfortunate that his personality was so unattractive. I pointed to the map. "Look, let's just go to the greenhouse first and we can get to the lot before the sun sets."
He looked at me to object but I stared back sternly. He places his hand up surrendering. "Fine, we'll do it your way I guess."
45 minutes later and we arrived at the garden.
"OK everyone, you know what time to meet at the lab to head back. I will be there if anyone needs any help or you can ask questions through the class site. It's a big lot so try not to get too lost." With that, he hopped off the bus heading to the large dome-shaped building.
Most of the groups dispersed in different directions, a lot of them heading to the lab to theories with the botanists there.
"The greenhouse is in that direction. Let's go," he commands following the path.
The building he walks toward is at the far end of the lot. It is slightly breezy out and I almost regret my clothing choices having to hold it down when the gust would get particularly aggressive.
Jonathan was carrying a bit more of the equipment than I was so trailed a few steps behind me while I held the map. "Red lace huh?"
I look back at him trying to figure out what he was talking about. He catches up to me.
"You should probably wear pants next time." He walked ahead of me seeing the greenhouse.
'This fucker.' We walk past a sign stating that the plants are automatically watered every 30 minutes.
We set up our equipment in the greenhouse. The room houses some of the more tropical species with a lot of tall and hanging plants. There are 8 species we have so the bulk of our time needs to be in this building. We are lucky that no one else seems to have plants here so don't have to maneuver around them in the relatively tight space.
We start on the edible plant near the front of the building, jotting down dimensions and overall health working our way toward the back. We are at our 5th plant towards the back left corner of the greenhouse.
"You're measuring the input and output wrong again, the meter is in the back, not the front." He points to meters rooted in the dirt.
'He' s right, 'I think. The meter is at an angle where I'm unable to see the numbers. I need to lean forward to adjust it and read them. I place my notebook down and my palms on the edge of the wall leaning forward. The plants in the greenhouse are protected by a metal gate to keep the more sensitive plants from being invaded by some of the others. I reach my hand out to grab the meter. It was still too far so I pushed through more, my elbow slipping into the hole. Im was finally able to tilt the meter back and can read the number.
"OK, it's 43 per minute," I instruct and hear him scribble the number into his notebook. I try to pull my arm out of the hole but my elbow gets caught. 'Oh no.' I pull and pull but it doesn't seem to fit through. "Fuck."
"You would manage me mess something like this up," he laughs behind me. "You're stuck in there huh?" I feel his body get closer behind me.