Deer in the Works is a short story by Kurt Vonnegut. It first appeared in Esquire in April 1955, and was anthologized in Welcome to the Monkey House. David Potter, owner of a small town weekly newspaper, decides to get a more secure job. Despite his wife's misgivings, he applies to be a publicity writer at the mammoth Ilium Works. Although shaken at seeing how the company immediately plans out his entire career, he accepts the position.