Dr. Ling held Linda's completed questionnaire, glancing at it as the interview went on. "So you've actually volunteered in a hospital," she said. "That's fantastic."
"Yes. Did you read about the dream I had about the Outpatient Center?"
Raj and Dr. Ling glanced at each other. "We did," Raj said. "Quite interesting."
They continued by asking her the usual job interview questions, such as "What brought you here?" and "How long of a commitment can you make?"
After each of Linda's responses, both Raj and the doctor nodded. Raj scribbled down notes on an index card. "Do you have any questions for us? Dr. Ling asked "What, exactly is an Oneironaut?" Linda wanted to know.
Raj smiled, shifting around in his seat and clearing his throat. "We get that one a lot." He glanced at Dr. Long and they both laughed politely. "An oneironaut is the subject of a lucid dreaming research study in a Dreams lab."
Dr. Ling leaned slightly toward Linda and asked "Have you ever heard of lucid dreaming?"
Linda shrugged. "I think it's when you know you're having a dream, while you're dreaming. You're aware."
"Then you know more than most people out there," Dr. Ling replied, smiling.
"We do lucid dreaming research here, but for this project we're testing a new device for a manufacturer. It looks like a sleep mask that people use sometimes, especially when they're trying to sleep during the daytime. Have you ever used one?"
"Well, no. I've never had trouble getting to sleep. I don't usually try to sleep during the daytime. Unless I'm sick. But then you could probably send a marching band past me and I'd still sleep."
Raj's tone changed to a more serious one. "Would you feel comfortable wearing a sleep mask?"
"Sure," she said. "Obviously you won't be able to do the study without it, right?
I'd be willing." Nancy's comment about the guy in A Clockwork Orange returned to her.
"That's good," Dr. Ling said. "We've got two night schedules available: either a Monday-Wednesday or a Tuesday-Thursday."
Linda chose Tuesdays and Thursdays, since her Wednesday and Friday classes started at ten and she'd still have time to eat breakfast. "Good, then we'll see you tomorrow night at ten," Dr. Ling said. "The Dream Lab is another wing of the building so we'll show you where you need to go."