I work on an assembly line in a car factory. Most days, I just assemble car parts. Occasionally, they’ll ask me to assay an unknown drugs substance. Once in a while, I’ll be asked to assist with breaking up a fight. Assault is not common here. But now and then, a frustrated worker will assail his assistant by casting aspersions on some aspect of the other’s work. They called it “the company” but it was really a secret government group trained to assassinate political leaders. I never aspired to be an assassin. In fact, I was an aspiring chemist and a regular soldier in the army. All I really wanted was to do something great or important for my country. But sometimes, having too great an aspiration can lead you astray. I still recall the day of the assembly. It was a small gathering of highly skilled people like me. “The company” was assessing our abilities in the areas of weaponry and chemistry. I was a top chemist and a natural marksman, probably the best in my group. They ascribed my success to my steady hands and sharp eyes, the same tools I used for chemistry. After the assembly, they gave us our assignments. I was assigned to assimilate into the mainstream society of a Latin American country. It wasn’t long before I was doing things that I will forever be ashamed to admit. It’s been over for about 15 years. But I’ll never feel clean and I’ll never be able to assert that I have been a good man all my life.