Just watched a stupid commercial where a guy gets thrown out of an upper story window for suggesting at a company conference that they save money by not serving Bud Light at the meetings.
Reminds me of years ago when I worked at a paint store and we had mandatory meetings from time to time after work. We did not get paid for these meetings, but they did serve beer in a cooler.
Another good thing about that job is that I lived within walking distance – didn’t need a car.
I began the job mixing paint matches for auto body repairs – hey I know nothing about colors and how to mix them – I just followed a formula from the proper paint code, generally under the hood of your car somewhere (at least that’s the way it was back then). It was mighty exacting, though. One tiny drop too much and the entire batch was ruined – we just mixed pints, quarts, and gallons.
One day I was informed I would be doing the deliveries. And as it turned out, from then on I did the deliveries every day – a morning and an afternoon run. Easiest job for the money I ever had.
I should have known it was too good to last. I don’t recall how long I did it, but one day I was told they had to cut back – last hired, first fired. I was gone.
I actually thought I had learned a skill, mixing that paint, but when I applied at other places, they told me they didn’t need an extra hand, that they all took turns mixing.
I eventually went back to school and then later I went back to journalism and still later I went to big truck driving. When I applied for a big truck driving job, even though the company offered its own school they preferred some related experience. Those paint deliveries came in handy. Let me tell you, driving a pickup truck or a van or one week when both of those were not available, the boss’ station wagon, is not anything like driving a big truck – but of course I did have to make deliveries.
Come to think of it, when I applied for the paint store job, the boss wanted to know if I had sales experience. The only thing I could put down was that I sold newspapers on the street as a little kid. Good enough, I guess. Well I did sell insurance briefly – not sure I mentioned that.
And one time while I was working at the paint store, I had to make some deliveries of oxygen and acetylene tanks – the store I worked for was actually a welding supply store with an auto paint department. Good thing I had just taken a welding class (which I did not do extremely well in), because at one stop, the airport, as I recall, they assumed I knew how to undo the old tanks and hook up the new ones. Fortunately I did.
After that job played out I tried to get a truck driver job at another welding supply store. But the guy looked at my resume and saw that while I had just come from a welding supply business, most of my experience was as a newspaper reporter.
“I can’t figure out what you want to do” , he said.
I guess in a way I couldn’t either, but at that very moment I needed a job – any job. Didn’t get that one. I think that’s when I decided to go back school.
I’ll bet there’s a lot of people going through this sort of thing nowadays with unemployment so high and businesses closing their doors all over the place.
If I’m sure of anything, I’m sure things will get better, but just like everyone else I don’t have a clue as to when.
Meanwhile, large numbers of people are out there trying to figure out what they want to do or what they can do and trying to re-invent themselves to fit into a more competitive job market.
And if you are one who envies those who always knew what to do from the start and followed the straight path and have been successful at it, I have empathy – I feel your pain.
P.s.
And I know you’ve heard this one before, but take it from someone who thought he was a goner due to a bout with cancer – find some enjoyment in every day you can. Every day above ground is a good one.
