Silly Stories with Dairy.

I had the greatest first job.

I was a junior in high school when I got my first actual job. I had been babysitting the children across the street after school, until now. It was time to spread my wings and learn to find my own worm. The idea to get a job came from my parents. I had just gotten my license and they had gifted me my dad's old car. I was going to need money for gas and just to learn how to adult. 

Naturally,

I procrastinated my job hunt for many weeks. I wasn't exactly thrilled at the news that I was going to have to start an actual job. I had grown fond of being able to do what ever I wanted when ever I wanted. The hours between school letting out and having to go to bed were limited. A work schedule would further limit the amount of games I could play, or friends I could hang out with. I was really conflicted about working.

*I learned much later in life that this would be one of my first examples of what I call my "time-phobia." Never having enough time for anything, then not doing anything because of it.* 

I eventually had no choice but to find a job. I wanted to be able to drive and go where ever I wanted. I began filling out applications slowly and ignored one or two phone calls for interviews. I finally went in for a interview and got offered a job position for a video game store. I was super excited! What could possibly be better than working in a store that sold my favorite medium for story telling? well, There was a better job.

Shortly after getting hired for the video game store I got a call from one of my closest friends at the time. They told me that someone had quit and there was an opening at the clothing store he worked for. I applied, interviewed, got hired, and started work all within a week. 

Now, I can hear you wondering. "But Double D. How is a clothing store with one of your closest friends better than any other persons first job experience?"

Because of the housing market crash around the time. Any and all development on expanding our small town were put on pause. On the out skirts of this ton, right off the highway. Off an exit few would have reason to take. Was a fully completed retirement community with a outlet mall right next to it. Most nights we would not see a single customer after 6pm. Since I was in school my shifts wouldn't even start usually until 4 or 5pm. Our manager that worked the closing shift was super laid back and would fool around as much as we did.  My coworkers could not have been comprised of a better line up. 

If you read my story about the lake that vanished than you will be slightly familiar with this cast. Every other person who worked in this store other than the three who worked during the weeks mornings, was in my close friend group. With out ever glancing to see who I was going to be working with, I new it was going to be a blast. 

Since we rarely had to worry about customer service we spent most of our time talking, laughing, and folding clothes. I came up with a fun way to play as we worked. We took plastic lids from snack cups and played frisbee golf using pricing signs as goals. Once we got to the table to retrieve our discs we would have to fold it before continuing on. Our manager would plug his mp3 player into the speaker system and we could jam out to nearly anything. 

Once winter came. Even during the day, business was slow. We would rarely have to fold or clean anything at night anymore. I had an extra tiny tv laying around and my old Nintendo 64, so I brought those in and hooked them up under the cash registers. For many pay checks we got paid to fold clothes, eat food, and play video games with my favorite people. It was the dream job. The dream could not last however.

This one time five of us sat on our register counters and someone spat there gum into someone else's mouth. This inspired us to see if we could spit a single piece of chewed bubble gum from mouth to mouth between us across all the registers without it falling on the ground. We did it on the first try. 

With business being so slow it was only a matter of time, but our innocent child like brains had never considered that we could be laid off. Management had announced that they were going to have to let some people go within the next couple of months and recommended we looked for a new job if we could. I was stubbornly holding onto the dream that this could last forever. I refused to look for a new job until I was fired.

I never had to though. One by one my friends began to leave for better experience and better pay. We were either about to be seniors or just about to graduate, they were planning their futures. I was stuck in my dream that things would work out and if I just kept sticking it out with the company. Things would return to that magical moment. For months I worked a less fun version of my dream job. My coworkers were becoming strangers. I had brought my tv and games home. The fun was gone. My friends were gone.  For the next year here and there I could get a friend or two to come work with me but ultimately nothing could live up to that first year. 

 Those of us who stayed were not promised many hours a week, and sometimes we would not be scheduled at all. I was starting to do more things out side of the area, and gas was over five dollars a gallon. I needed some consistent pay, but I did not want to leave the friend who I convinced to work with me. I stuck it out as long as I could. For many weeks I was schedule one shift. I called in sick for all of them. I realized I was torturing myself by holding onto such a miserable place so dearly. I finally left as well.

Because of my new found experience I was offered a manager position at the video game store from my first application. I was ready to start working there once again when I got offered a job making two dollars an hour more. By cashiering in the lumberyard of a hardware store. 

I truly loved the opportunity to have such a fun transition from childhood into the workplace.