From my Storyworth collection.
My first job was as a paper boy when I was in the 5th grade and lived in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma in 1980. I think I got the job because somebody I knew had the route, was quitting and needed somebody to take his place. I would come home from school, fold and rubber band the newspapers, put them in a bag that I slung over my shoulder and headed out on my bike to deliver papers.
Some of the things I remember about this job:
- Wednesday was the BIG paper day. It took longer to fold them, they were heavier, and I could not carry as many at one time.
- I would collect once a month. A monthly subscription cost $2.75, I believe, and I usually got the quarter tip.
- I remember one big snow day I had to deliver. There was too much snow to ride my bike, so I loaded my papers on a sled and walked my route. It was WAY slower doing it this way and I remember Mom had to come pick me up in the car and drive me on the rest of my route because it was getting so late.
- I would try to ride by on my bike and throw the paper onto the porch. If I was too close or threw the paper too hard, the paper would WHACK the glass storm door, people would call to complain to the paper, and I would written up by the paper.
- There was a bully from school who would stop me and harass me on my route. My “boss” from the paper (must have been the guy who was over several paper delivery boys) went to the boy’s home and talked to his parents. The bully was mad at me for it, but he left me alone while I was delivering papers after that.
- There was a guy on my route that was either a then-current player or retired player from the Cincinati Bengals. I remember seeing his helmet on the fireplace one time when I was collecting my monthly subscriptions.
My first “real job” was when I was in high school, probably my sophomore year (so 1985ish) at the restaurant, Autumn Winds, just a mile from our house on Skunk River Road in Iowa. I got this job just by stopping by and filling out an application. I would go into work around 3:30-4:00 pm and do food prep before they opened at 5 pm. I worked in the kitchen doing dishes, making salads and making sure trays were ready for waitresses to take out to the dining room.
The restaurant was owned by a husband-and-wife team, Bob and JoAnn Thornburg. It was a cloth tablecloth, steaks and seafood, nice restaurant. Bob was the chef and JoAnn was the hostess. I usually worked 2 nights during the week and then Friday and/or Saturday. Bob and JoAnn treated everybody there like family and it was a great place to work.
Some of the things I remember about this job:
- We had an annual Christmas party every year. Bob and JoAnn would cook for all of us, and it was like a big family gathering. They took good care of all the teens who worked there.
- New Year’s Eve was always a BIG night and we would work late. One year the restaurant was robbed at gun point about 20 minutes after I got off work. Somehow one of the patrons thought they saw me outside before the robbery. Bob and JoAnn never thought anything of it, but I was questioned as a “person of interest” by the detectives investigating the case! They came to the restaurant one January night when I was working right after that, asked to follow me home and speak with me, Mom and Dad. They questioned me about what time I got off work, what time I got home, did I go back to the restaurant, etc. (Guess I was eventually cleared!)
- My boss, Bob, was one of the first people I witnessed to about the Lord. During the week, it was just Bob and one teen in the kitchen, so we talked some then. Sometimes Bob needed somebody to go pick up new kitchen equipment and I would go with him. There was a time that Bob had a breakdown and spent some time in a treatment center. He later told me, “One of my assignments while I was there was to write my life’s story and talk about the people who have impacted my life. You were a part of my story.” Bob never made a confession for Christ, but that was the first time the Lord let me see the impact I could have on others for the Kingdom.
- Right after graduation my senior year I had jaw surgery. Bob asked what I wanted for my “last meal” before my jaw was surgically broken and I had to eat ice cream, baby food and protein drinks for 8 weeks. He fixed a burger and onion rings for my parents to bring me the night before my surgery.
- I worked there until the summer before I left for college. When I would come home from college for Christmas break, I would pick up some shifts at the restaurant. (I LOVED coming home from college for Christmas break. Life was super stressful with finals, but they were over, I’d come home to see my family and my Husky, I could relax, read a book, listen to Christmas music and pick up some shifts at Autumn Winds…like being with family).
- Bob and JoAnn got divorced sometime after I left Autumn Winds. Brooke and I used to send out Christmas newsletters right after we were married. Bob’s newsletter got returned so I called the number I had for him. The wife he married after JoAnn answered, asked who I was and how I knew Bob…and then told me he had passed away. That was really hard on me. Bob and JoAnn and my experience working at Autumn Winds was a GREAT time in my life and I am thankful for them and my time there.
No comments:
Post a Comment