Monday, November 9, 2009
My First Job
Everyone remembers the first time they had a real job and received an actual paycheck--that all-important, grown-up feeling of having a boss, co-workers, a schedule and responsibilities.
My first job was great fun and perfect for a high school kid. I worked in a movie theater downtown in both the concession stand and box office. I much preferred the concession stand because I could eat all the popcorn I wanted, drink soda and interact with customers. I only had to pay for the candy I ate. Other perks included watching the movie after everyone was seated and doing my homework once the movie started. Our uniforms consisted of a very short, navy, one-piece dress.
My boss's name was Mr. Schnaible (I never knew his first name). He hired me when I was just 15--three months from turning 16. He told me to keep my age quiet after I told him I really wanted a job and needed the cash. I was saving for a car and was a total clotheshorse (still am).
We sometimes had midnight movies and Disney premieres where moviegoers would line up around the block. I remember The Love Bug was a huge hit. We had to make bags and bags (trash bag size) full of popcorn beforehand and then mix it with the warm stuff.
I remember the big, clunky cash register didn't add up the totals. It was very old--sort of like a manual typewriter. I became very adept at adding quickly in my head. Once, a guy angrily challenged me and said, "How do you know that's the right total?" I smiled sweetly and said, "Because I do. I can add in my head." If someone had a huge order, I would pull out a napkin and pencil and add the total on that. Of course, we had to be able to count back change (unlike today) but I digress.
Several of my friends who were also in the Kiltie Drum Corps started working at the theater so we often had scheduling conflicts with games and parades. Many times, we had to be off at the same time but Mr. Schnaible never complained and would even take a shift himself. What a great first boss.
My hourly wage was $1.10. Can you beat that? Let's hear about your first job.
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My first job was in at Mt. Holyoke College in the cafetieria. I made salads and washed dishes. I didn't last long because I HATED washing dishes and I was too slow. The first real job that I lasted a while was at pizza parlor in Massachusetts. I was about 15 years old. It was run by a Greek who evidently thought he was God's gift to women. He slapped me on the butt twice and asked me if I kissy kissed my boyfriend. I told him no and I was cold (I lied). I also told him that if he tried making a pass at me again I would quit.
ReplyDeleteHe did and I did. I made $1.25 per hour in 1970
Oh well. I got another GOOD job at WT Grant where I did very well working in the candy department and then got promoted to the Credit office. I worked there until my Senior year of High School. I loved that job. I made a whopping 1.75 per hour back in 1971.
Ruth Hunter, Editor of
http://thesagejournal.com
My first job was when I was 14. I started Sunday night after church and did not go home until Friday around 6 PM. It was for a lady at my church who was going back to work after having her child. The little baby girl's name was Lilly and I learned that in reality, she was the boss. That summer my friends would leave me at the bathroom while changing a diaper, untill they say the baby had all the girls following me. A very positive perk to the job. The downfall was that I slept a lot in a wooden rocking chair. I still want one like that some day. The greatest gift of all was that was the only baby I have ever spent that amount of time with. I was never able to have children of my line, but make no mistake the ones I adopted are mine. I was paid $30 a week, maybe more than that now that I think about it.
ReplyDeleteI worked at "The Big T" in Nixa during my senior year at high school. I made hamburgers with their special sauce (it was mayo and ketchup mixed together) We got to eat for half price, but had all the drinks and ice cream we wanted. Can't remember the wage.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun, interesting jobs. Ruth, I think a pizza job would be great. Too bad about the boss. I had a couple of bosses make passes at me, too. That was before the litigation days. You were making big bucks back then!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the babies were a draw for the girls--just like puppies are! :)
Shirley, good to know about the secret sauce. Was it equal measures of ketchup and mayo?
This is a test. I worked on my widgets!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteHi Beth, my first job was working in the Potato Sheds. The name of the company was Sunny Farms, in Bakersfield, California. I was 16 years old and my sister and four other friends also worked there. We all worked in the same section, pulling filled potato bags off the machine and tying the netted bags and then sending them on down the conveyer belt. We would get blisters on our fingers and it was hot and muggy in there but it was the most fun I've ever had on a job. I made minimum wage, whatever that was back in 1980 and we got to work a lot of over time. I think my paycheck was about $150.00 per week which I thought was pretty darn good back then.
ReplyDeleteMy next job was at Long John Silver's.
Hi, JarieLyn.
ReplyDeleteWow. At first glance, I thought you said potato chips but you said filled potato bags. That had to be heavy for a 16-year-old girl. You made darn good money, though, for a teenager. Then, at Long John Silver's. Hmmm. Do you eat there anymore? Thanks for chiming in.
My first job was at Burback's Physicians Exchange and Answering Serivice. I was a PBX Operator. That was in the days of big cord boards with two cord plugs for each call. I think I started at $1.15 then got up to $1.35. I worked there somewhere over three years. I got the first call about, "John Kennedy has been shot!" I told my boss and he turned on the radio and we listened all day. That was a very good job. Wayne Burkack was the Owner with his mother.
ReplyDeleteMy first job was as a bus-boy (girl) at the German restaurant near my house. I began about two weeks after graduating from high school. From there I moved all the way up to waitress. I did have a great deal of fun though.
ReplyDeleteM.J. Macie
Jan, that's a neat job about being a PBX operator and amazing about the JFK call. I remember that day. I was very young but could tell by the television news reporter (on our trusty black and white TV) and my mother's reaction that something horrible had happened. And, indeed, it had.
ReplyDeleteMary, that sounds like a fun job, too. Bet you got to eat a lot of good German food! Thaks to everyone who commented. What neat, fun jobs we all had.