Forget Me Never

is it just research?’
    ‘Research. Once a drug has passed all the trials we send it elsewhere to be produced – that’s a massive job in itself.’
    ‘Would it be cheeky to ask what you have in the pipeline?’
    ‘If I told you I’d get the sack,’ Cherie said, smiling. ‘New developments in our industry can be worth millions. There are no end of rival companies who’d love to know what we’re up to.’
    ‘But that wouldn’t matter, right? You patent your research.’ I knew about patenting from watching Dragons’ Den . Whenever an entrepreneur came along with a new proposition they’d be quick to point out that they had a patent so no one could steal their idea. A company as switched on as Vaughan-Bayard would be quick on the uptake there; too much to lose. I guessed another company could try to develop a similar formula that didn’t violate the patent. However, that’d take time, maybe years.
    ‘You have done your homework.’ Cherie sounded faintly impressed. ‘Yes, we use patents, but only after a certain point in the development process. You can’t effectively patent a formula until you know it will work.’
    Before I could ask anything else Cherie started explaining the employment structure of Vaughan-Bayard, the range of products they’d already developed and then what her job as PA to the Head of Research entailed. She obviously had a lot of knowledge about the company and everything that went on there.
    At one point the office door opened and a man wearing a dark blue suit entered. He had thick grey hair and wore rimless glasses. This must be Giles McIntyre.
    ‘Morning,’ Cherie said. ‘How was your weekend?’
    ‘Very nice, thank you – went over to Hadley Wood on Saturday with Mike, then caught some rays at Lord’s on Sunday.’ McIntyre hung his jacket on the hanger by the door, looking at me quizzically. ‘Who’s this?’
    ‘This is Reece,’ Cherie said. ‘He’s on work experience with us this week. I mentioned it on Friday, remember?’
    ‘Of course; how forgetful of me.’ McIntyre shook my hand. ‘Nice to meet you, Reece. I hear you want to work in the pharmaceutical business.’
    I nodded, but I was more interested in his mention of Lord’s – the home of cricket. I’d first gone there with Dad for my eighth birthday to watch England play and I’d never forgotten it. Since then I’d spent as much as I could afford on seeing county matches there. Maybe someday I’d be on the other side of the boundary, actually playing on the field.
    Before I could stop myself, I said, ‘Yesterday looked like a brilliant day’s play. It would’ve been wicked to see that hat-trick live.’
    Mr McIntyre looked startled. Too late I remembered that this was the Head of Research at a powerful pharmaceutical company. And here I was mouthing off to him about cricket.
    ‘Er . . . sorry if that was rude,’ I said. ‘Just got excited. The word “Lord’s” makes something go ping in my brain.’
    For a moment I thought I was in trouble. But then Mr McIntyre smiled.
    ‘Yes, it was an excellent day’s play – I’m only sorry I can’t be there today too, though I do intend to tune in to Test Match Special later. I’m ninety per cent certain itll be a draw though. So, do you play yourself?’
    ‘You bet,’ I said, and told McIntyre about my club and our recent matches.
    Cherie rolled her eyes and started typing. ‘You’re meeting Malcolm in the lab at half ten,’ she said pointedly to Mr McInytre after we’d been chatting for a few minutes. ‘The briefing pack’s on your desk; it’ll take fifteen minutes to go through it.’
    McIntyre sighed. ‘We’d best get to work, Reece; we can talk cricket later.’
    He went into the other office and closed the door.
    ‘Well, you’ve found the way into his good books,’ Cherie said. ‘Dog racing, cricket, snooker – take your pick, he loves them all. Smart move.’
    I was surprised by how quickly the morning went. Cherie had stuff to get on with so she handed me over to HR. After filling in various forms and having a health-and-safety talk, I was given a tour of the site. There were certain areas I wasn’t allowed to go into. Even the post room required a security pass. We weren’t allowed to peek into the labs, though we did pass right outside them. I could hear what sounded like dripping water within. It was all very mysterious. Though my interest in pharmacy was fake, I couldn’t help but be impressed by how much