This week, at the "Lake Estate" there was quite a bit of discussion on jobs we have held - good, bad and ugly. Especially entertaining was the description of death-defying tasks that definitely required more safety procedures and PPE but so be it. I was booed several times for my incredulity at the lack of caution and the fact that some jobs people are expected to perform go above and beyond. People are cheaper until you maim or kill someone I fear. One description of working in a tunnel transporting limestone to freighters via conveyor systems was especially harrowing. It was nicknamed the Hurst tunnel (should have been Hearse) and had been known to decapitate the unwary.
If we survive, we appreciate the real-life training we receive when we are able to apply it later in life. If we really pay attention we learn respect for the people that have to do jobs like that. Something I appreciated when I worked summers in the local Oven Fresh factory. I got to leave in September and go back to college. This was their whole life, no end in sight, and I never forgot that lesson.
Another learning situation occurred as I worked from the time I was 13 until college helping my Mother run a paper route for an early morning newspaper. We went from individual house delivery to filling street racks and servicing dealers. This was 365 nights a year and from about 1 am to 5 am. Couple of hours of sleep and then off to school. I was always on the honor roll but who knows what I could have achieved with more sleep? To be honest I really was not one to study for hours anyway. Used to write term papers the night before they were due-lol.
My older siblings helped when they could or were still at home, but I had the curse of being 100 pounds soaking wet and could leap in and out of the station wagon like the Flash at breakneck speeds. So I usually won the duty. As this was downtown Grand Rapids, the lightening speed was partly fear I suppose. We had our share of suspicious characters eyeball us, and until the police got to know our car, plenty of suspicious law enforcement scrutiny. One memorable night I had the honor of being flashed by a gentleman in the lobby of the YMCA in all his manly glory. I popped through the door, let them know "pervert on the loose" and popped back out to the car. No doubt he was disappointed at my non-response. I missed out on many night time activities with friends, and I was not the sweetest disposition at 1 in the morning, but I do not resent or regret helping out when the family needed it.
One lasting benefit (question mark) of my midnight adventures was I discovered how extremely stubborn I could be, sometimes to my detriment. When the large, burly man on the delivery truck tossed down the bundles of heavy newspapers I never complained, just took the drop and loaded the car. My Mother sighed and said "if you would just use a little honey instead of vinegar he would probably load the car for you". Nuh uh. I liked the challenge. However, I do think he was loading more than newspapers for the cute blonde that also had a route and waited to "load" after the rest of us were done.
Collections were a dreaded part of the job. The vendors and dealers liked to complain about the bill, or didn't have the money right now, or could I run to the bank and cash a check for them. Being young and small and shy (I know shocker) I would just stand there and look at them until they finally and grudgingly came up with the money. In my head I just believed they owed the money and I had no idea how to counteract their complaints anyway. I also got 1% of what got collected so a bit of an incentive. Well what I found out was standing there quietly works wonders on the "savage beast".
I utilized that strategy throughout my career whenever I had to deliver bad news. Such as refusing a 3rd raise in six months to a highly placed executive, being screamed at by a police chief as he did not like action taken by my department, having my life threatened by a disgruntled employee. Amazing if you just stand there, do not back up, and wait, they have no other course of action. There are times when one can only get into a unnecessary and protracted situation if you argue or placate when you know you are right. Just wait it out, but no rolling of eyes or sneering allowed.
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