"Please let me become a professional awakener. Please let me become a professional awakener." Herb muttered to himself under his breath—breath that carried the rank scent of the black orb he had just consumed.
The technician looked up at the excited Herb and then shook his head reproachfully. Within a minute Herb started to feel a little hot, like the room's air-conditioning had turned off. Within another minute, as antsy Herb was about to comment about it, he felt the cool air again.
Looking at Herb's results, usually the technician would compliment awakeners with a C aptitude, but after the A+ from earlier and all the commotion that kicked up, he could only pity Herb and reflect on how unfair reality could be.
"You have a C aptitude." The technician unenthusiastically informed.
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"C?!?" Herb questioned with Delight. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I can become a professional awakener."
"You're free to go now." The Technician said depressingly after unhooking Herb.
Herb quickly donned his shirt, his belt and pocketed his wallet and smart phone. He was strongly motivated to rush back to the waiting room so he could brag to everyone about his aptitude. As he opened the door, he found everyone standing and chatting noisily. Tim quickly approaching Herb. Seeing Tim approach, Herb pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and prepared five dollars.
"Herb, you're not—"
"Don't worry about it, you won't guess what happened." Herb interrupted while handing the nonplussed Tim a five-dollar bill.
"So you heard too?"
'Heard too?' Herb thought. 'Did word about my aptitude leak? Was Tim so shocked that he forgot about the bet and was simply rushing to congratulate me? What a great guy!'
"Yeah, of course I did; I was there when it happened." Herb said, beaming with confidence.
"Then do you know whom it was?" Tim asked frantically.
"Whom?" Herb absently parroted.
"The A+ aptitude awakener!"
"A PLUS!?" Herb yelled in confoundment.
