25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back

Chapter Two

Chapter Two: The Jobs That Shape Us

Although it's hard to pinpoint how many jobs the average person has in a lifetime, the most widely cited number is seven. The authors in this chapter have certainly held a wide variety of positions in addition to writer, including teacher, locomotive engineer, psychologist and singing telegram, to name a few. If you've ever wanted a sneak peek into another career field, then read these fun anecdotes.

Lieutenant Pink Shoes

By Laura DiSilverio

Written in 2010

Twenty-five years ago, I was a brand-new second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, fresh out of intelligence training, headed to my first assignment at the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C.

When I got my commission, I knew little about what being an intelligence officer entailed, but I thought it sounded sexy—high tech, James Bondish, glamorous. Being part of a DC-area headquarters agency was more about staff work—paper-pushing—than anything else. The excitement in my life came from clubbing with my best friend, a Navy officer, and playing competitive racquetball. I practically lived out of my Nissan Sentra, with uniforms, gym clothes and party gear heaped on the passenger seat.

To beat the D.C. traffic, I came to work BCOD—before the crack of dawn. I arrived one morning and slipped on what I thought were my black uniform pumps, pulled from the mobile closet that was my passenger seat. Half-way to my building, I glanced down and was horrified to see that I had donned pink shoes. Aagh!

I spun around, planning to dash back to my car and change my shoes before anyone noticed, and found myself facing a Marine brigadier general, the crustiest of military officers. I saluted smartly and kept going. He turned to the aide beside him and said, "Was that lieutenant wearing pink shoes?"

"Affirmative, General," the aide replied.

"Thought so."

I congratulated myself on having survived this encounter until I arrived in my office and found the aide, a buddy of one of my co-workers, had regaled my officemates with the story. I was ever after known as "Lieutenant Pink Shoes."

Laura DiSilverio, a former military intelligence officer, has written more than a dozen mystery novels for major publishers. Her books have appeared on many "Best Of" lists. She teaches for MWA's Mystery University and at conferences and seminars nation-wide and her articles have appeared in The Writer and Writer's Digest.

Training the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

By Gwen Mayo

Written in 2010

Twenty-five years ago today, I was a locomotive engineer, then a new job for a female. The railroads lost a lawsuit and were forced to recruit women. Understandably, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers was not welcoming. I spent days with sullen crews, endured practical jokes and received insults. There were exceptions, but most engineers thought women should only be passengers.

I didn't write twenty-five years ago. Hotel rooms and moving trains were my life. It was one of danger: rock slides, hobos, broken rails, tornados and hazardous shipments. I suffered through hot August days, when temperatures inside the cab exceeded a hundred degrees. In winter, ice and snow caused derailments and frozen brake lines. The worst part was the railroad crossings where drivers raced the train and died. The braking distance of a twenty-thousand ton train is two miles. There are few sections of track in West Virginia where an engineer can see that distance.