Psychological Exam

In 1997 when I applied to work as a police dispatcher there were (and probably still are) a lot of tests that I was required to take and pass to be hired.  One of them was a four hour 1,000 question psychological examination and it was really the only test I was concerned about because I had no idea what to expect.

When I arrived for the test I met with the doctor who gave me the instructions and put me in a room by myself and told me that the test took an average of 4 hours to take.  Yuck.  During that four hours I answered True or False to a multitude of questions like "At times I have the uncontrollable urge to set fire to myself or others" (my personal favorite); "I do not always tell the truth"; "I see things around me that others do not see"; "I am an important person".  These are just a few of the questions I remember.

About 4 hours later I finished the test and was directed to a room to wait for the doctor to come in with my results.  One of the last questions I remember answering was something to the effect of "When I see something that is wrong I speak up".  I answered True.  That all changed when the doctor came in.  He was a large man, and as he turned around and bent down to pick up some papers out of his chair I saw that his pants were ripped from crotch to knee.  I mean I could not help but see it---it was practically in my face.  Thankfully he was wearing boxers.  He appeared to be unaware of the show he was giving me, although I could not believe that he could not feel the breeze blowing.  The hole was huge.

So here I sat with these boxers and bare skin staring me in the face and all I could think of was that question I had answered "True" to.  "When I see something that is wrong I speak up".  Well here was my chance to show that I had given honest answers to my test questions.  I thought this might be a test---would I fail the exam if I did not speak up.  I mean, SURELY this guy knew he was flapping in the breeze???  Right?  As silly as it sounds now I really struggled with this for the next few minutes.  Even after the doc sat down, I could clearly see his thigh and his boxers on display.  Was I supposed to say anything?  Maybe this was some kind of new-fangled way of extending the psychological exam? 

As I sat there and answered questions and talked back and forth with him, trying not to look at the obvious I just did what I thought was right.  I kept my mouth shut.  Fifteen years later, I'm still working at the job that exam was testing me for.  I guess I passed the test(s)!