The factory

It was my first day. "Put this on." I was handed a gown, a shower hat type thing, a mask and gloves. "This way." Petrie dishes, microscopes, through a wall of plastic. Strange machines with piped in fluids, baskets on a conveyor. Another doorway then "This is your department, quality control."

The conveyor came through the doorway. It led to a table. This was padded with bright orange fabric. Adjacent were three chutes; one pink, one blue, one black. "I'll do the first one with you."

A whirring told me the conveyor was in motion. A basket appeared. The supervisor reached in and withdrew the precious cargo. "Is anything missing?"

"One mouth, one nose, two eyes, ten fingers, ten toes, no."

"Pink or blue."

"Pink."

"Down the chute then."

I lifted the baby and carefully placed it in the chute. A loud cry told me it had arrived safely. There was one question I was afraid to ask; where does the black chute go?

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