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| "Jayne, I've got it" |
I am returning to work soon - overseas contract job and then into the real estate full time. Bye bye leisurely days of golf, walking, swimming, kayaking and generally lazing about. Thinking of this reminded me of the worst job I ever had. I have been pretty lucky over the years in that I have worked at things that were enjoyable.
School holiday jobs - working for my father on the various and varied building sites where I was general labourer, tea-maker, cement mixer and roustabout. I loved this, working on high-rise buildings, suburban houses (including several unusual Ian Athfield creations), coastal ferries etc..
- Paper boy in neighbourhood
- Paper boy in downtown Wellington
- Delivery bike rider for CM Banks stationery company (I looked like Granville from Open All Hours).
University jobs: as a 'seagull' on the waterfront; a drum filler at Mobil Oil at Seaview; a car-tester at Todd Motors (Hillman Avengers, Hillman Hunters and Chrysler Valiants); a 'lay-by' caretaker at Wrightsons department store in Lambton Quay; shop assistant/storeman/truckdriver at Murray Robert's wines and spirits in Adelaide Road.
Post -university jobs: as above at Murray Roberts; wine consultant at O'rielly's in Thorndon; fellmongery clerk at Gear Meat at Petone; Assistant Manager at White Horse Inn in Pakuranga; Assistant Manager at Howick Village Cellars in Howick; Manager of various Wine and Spirit Merchants:; Brand Manager for a major liquor company; General Manager of a specialist wine and spirit company; Marketing Manager for a national liquor company; General Manager Trading for a major wine comapny; Marketing Director for a major international wine company; owner/operator of a framing gallery.
I thoroughly enjoyed all of these jobs except for one. The Wrightsons department store job. It wasn't really the job itself nor the people, it was the fact that I was stuck there. All of the other jobs gave me some autonomy, space and the opportunity to drive off somewhere for a break or peace of mind. The department store was overheated and, for a claustrophobic like me, oppressive. I had my own 'room' which was a very large closet with a very high ceiling. Shelves were all about and went about 20 foot high. I had a slideable ladder (the type you see in those old-style Italian delis) and had to climb up to place or find the lay-by parcels for customers. I wore a shop coat and looked like Arkwright from Open All Hours.
No one came in to my room except for a cute female shop assistant. I thought that she fancied me but it turned out that she only wanted to talk to me to complain about her loser boyfriend. I stood it for about 6 weeks before joining the wine and spirit company which was owned by the same parent company. That was one of the best jobs I ever had. Richard (of RBB) and Second Fiddle 'worked' there too.
4 comments:
Yes, I enjoyed being a delivery truck driver. I should have stayed there and never gone teaching. Unfortunately they eventually 'let me go' for writing "Steve is a brike head" (bad spelling was a joke), and other things, on the walls.
'(bad spelling was a joke)'
Are you sure that it doesn't run in the family?
Those were the days.
Nice post. Are we going to lose your (growing infrequent)posts when you set off for China?
I know what you mean about being trapped in a small enclosed space and cannot get out.
Try being trapped in a small enclosed space with 30 kids naging about making "music" while some lunatic next door tries to hammer a drum kit into submission.
Richard [of RBB]does.
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