I'm beginning a new series, First Jobs, in which I ask people about their first work experiences. Today, I am talking with my husband, Ward. He tells about jobs he had during his teens in the 1970's.
Tell me about your first
job.
I remember three early jobs
that I had during the summers. One was a dishwasher in
an officer's club, one was on a construction demolition crew, and
another one was on an asphalt crew. I think the most significant of
these was the asphalt work.
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Not exactly. We worked in a private
trailer park fixing potholes in the roads there.
What were your duties?
The first thing we did each
morning was to clean the laundromat at the park. After that, we
started our road work.
How did you fix the potholes?
How did you fix the potholes?
First we'd take picks and
shovels and clean the holes until there was no more loose debris in
them. Next the boss would back up the dump truck full of asphalt
and tilt the back of the truck. One of us would balance on top of the
truck sides and push out the asphalt onto the road. The others on
the ground would rake the it into the hole. Then we would run a steam roller over it. When that was done, we
moved onto the next hole. If you were the one balancing on the truck,
that ride could be scary.
The job sounds hot and
dirty.
It was definitely hot, and it
was pretty miserable when I was working in very hot and humid weather with hot asphalt. It was also very dirty. From the dust,
tar, and sweat, our clothes could get messed up pretty quickly. We wore the same
ones every day.
It also sounds dangerous.
Did you ever get burned?
No, but my brother did. He
worked there with me. One day, I was shoveling asphalt from the truck and
some of it accidentally went into my brother's gloves. He ended up
with blisters on his hands from the hot tar, but he wasn't out
of work long.
Was there anything you liked
about this job?
Even though it was hot, I
liked being outside. In my dishwashing job, I was in the basement
without windows. I didn't like that.
You said that this job was
the most significant among your early jobs. Why?
It exposed me to a lot of new things. For example, except for my brother, my coworkers were ex-cons and drug addicts. Their stories about jail and their sexual and other exploits were things I had never heard before. I wasn't sure if I were impressed or scared. However, I did know that I wanted a better future for myself than they had. Many times my parents had given me the
advice of, “Study hard and get good grades. That way you can go to
college, and have a good job some day,” After this job, I finally understood
what they meant.
Thanks for your story. Even after all of these years, I learned new things about you.
Thanks for your story. Even after all of these years, I learned new things about you.
It's interesting, the different jobs often offered to young men, but not young women. I know that has changed over the years. But I remember asking boyfriends about their summer jobs, when we were in college, and it seems we rarely had the same kind of opportunities. I had boyfriends that worked construction work, cleaned office buildings on mid-night shifts, did road construction, for summer jobs. Meanwhile, I babysat, worked fast food, and worked in a clothing store for summer jobs.
ReplyDeleteMy very first "job" was lemonade stands every summer, from age 8 on. I was always eager to earn some money. I drove my mom crazy with all my money-making schemes, and things I wanted to go door to door selling, from age 10 and up.
So you were always eager to earn money. Did you have a specific thing you wanted to buy? Or were you a big planner for the future like you are now?
DeleteHa! MY high school boyfriend worked as a lawn boy at a local funeral home ... they had him help out with some of the mortuary work ... and he was hooked. He went on to study to be a mortician. Probably not an opportunity I would have been excited about ...
DeleteI did a little babysitting but hated it. Starting at age 15, I worked summers as a kitchen helper/cook at our church camp. Loved it. I learned good work skills, good interpersonal skills, got to live on the camp grounds and hang out with the other staff members ... it was great.
My uncle studied to be a mortician, but couldn't make enough money at it to support his family of 10. I think you have to own the funeral home to make much money.
DeleteYour camp job sounds pretty good. You got to hang out at camp, but not be on call all of the time to deal with the dramas of the campers. Although I realize that your kitchen work was probably very hard, but in a different way.
I'm not sure why I wanted to earn money. I don't remember any particular thing I was saving towards. I just liked the freedom of having my own money, and the ability to buy something if I wanted it. In reading that last sentence, I guess some things never change. I still like the freedom of having enough money, and ability to pay for anything I want or need. That, in a nutshell, is why I choose to be frugal.
ReplyDeleteWe are wired the same way, aren't we? I hate debt because it feels like a chain around my neck. And I love the freedom to not HAVE to work, and to be able to choose a work schedule that fits my family.
DeleteYes, L&L, camp was a wonderful experience for me. I never wanted to be a counselor. I never have done well on a short, chopped up sleep schedule and while I love my children, I've never been a "kid" person. I think camp gradually eased me into adulthood in a safe environment. I didn't earn much money but I saved most of what I did earn and the life experiences were priceless.
This is fun! Let us know YOUR first work experiences!
A post will be coming soon about my early work experiences.
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