South Hospital Laboratory

Because we're in the middle of a global pandemic, I tell my parents that I've been working at South Hospital Laboratory here in Atlanta to help develop a COVID-19 vaccine. I tell them that I can only say so much because the government is working in conjunction with our hospital leadership and us higher ups have been given codeword clearance. They don't push me too much for additional information and also don't question me spending a ton of time on my computer. I tell them that my role in this live-saving endeavor is to run inoculation models on my computer to determine who needs the vaccine, where we should distribute it, and what type of rollout we should have. There's also cover for when my team goes on a winning streak and I'm happy (We had a breakthrough at the lab!) or when we get steamrolled and I'm frustrated (Long day at the lab, but I can't talk about it). It's also convenient because of the different times of the sims, I am able to slip out of any function at a moment's notice to watch the twitch channel. I simply tell them that I have to take a COVID-19 related call and have to leave their immediate vicinity because the information is classified.

Even after we have successful rollout of the vaccine, this charade can continue indefinitely as I can then transition to either the different variants of COVID, the seasonal flu, or any other viral infection that may besiege the population. No matter what's going on in the world, they will always need me at South Hospital Laboratory and my parents will never be the wiser.