Behind the Bonehouse Read Online Free

now, his eyes cool and considering, his firm mouth skeptical. Then Bob looked away again, out across the lawn at the willow back by the pond, as he locked his hands behind his neck. “What’s the root of the conflict?”
    â€œI’m the VP of Science and Technology. I’m a chemical engineer trying hard to improve things, and they don’t like my input impacting the way they’ve always worked.”
    â€œThat’s not unexpected. I would’ve thought you would’ve anticipated that reaction and gone out of your way to avoid it.”
    â€œI did, and I
have
gone out of my way. You brought me in to evaluate Equine Pharmaceuticals’ existing product line, and help you determine what needs to be developed. To help the lab design reliable test methods too, for products and raw materials, and improve the way you test new products in the field. You’ve also wanted me to help your lab and production people take what’s formulated in the lab and scale it up from a beaker-sized batch to full commercial volume.”
    â€œCorrect.” Bob said it as though Alan were stating the obvious and wasting valuable time.
    â€œI don’t know the veterinary science that enables you to develop vaccines and antibiotics and cutting-edge equine drugs. I can formulate other treatments, and help refine the health care formulas to optimize ingredients and improve production techniques. But I never could’ve started the business, or come up with the drugs you have.”
    â€œI do grasp the distinctions, Alan.”
    â€œThen why would I be stupid enough to minimize your contributions and imply that you’re behind the times?”
    Bob didn’t say anything till he’d finished the last of his tea. “How would you evaluate Carl’s and Butch’s performance?”
    â€œCarl has a degree in chemistry, and he’s able to perform lab-tech-type bench work under your and my direction, but he doesn’t have the curiosity or the experience to do the more sophisticated thinking and development that I think a lab director should. It may be attitude, rather than aptitude, I can’t say. I do know he’s very determined not to get his hands dirty by helping with any of the scale-up work, and he resents my presence here, and the relationship you and I have had, because of our shared perspectives.”
    â€œAnd Butch?”
    â€œHe doesn’t have the education and the training to be effective at the scale-up work, or develop new manufacturing techniques. I think he questions his own competence, and I think Carl has influenced him to be more negative and resistant to change than he might’ve otherwise been. He’s capable of making the antibacterial shampoos and ointments, and the new fungicidal treatments, as well as the other equine health care products in the line, once we’ve developed the processes for him.
    â€œBut the new de-wormer paste, that’s a whole new process, and I think it’s got him panicked. But instead of being cooperative, and willing to say, ‘I don’t know how to do this, help me and let’s work together,’ he’s fighting whatever is new and unknown and doing you a disservice.”
    Bob Harrison loosened his dark blue tie, before he glanced at Alan. “I’ve seen evidence of that myself, but I’d like to be able to salvage him, and Carl as well. Carl especially. He’s was the first person I hired in the lab.”
    â€œThen that must make it hard.”
    â€œI did everything myself when I started the business. The microbiology, working with Elvis Doll at UK’s Vet School. The fermenting and the formulating, along with the manufacturing. I washed the floors and took out the garbage and did the packaging. When you’re first starting up, you don’t have the luxury of scouring the country for someone with the best degrees and the deepest experience, you hire the person you