Ah, memories

[Tobin S.]

I worked full time my junior and senior year of high school. I can't remember why, though. I guess maybe I was in a hurry to get out in the world and do that whole grown-up thing. I was a good employee, too. Never called in. Always did what they told me too. I was a printer and I really had a knack for running these little one and two color printing presses.

During my senior year I worked for this mom and pop's print shop. They had three presses, a plate maker, and a small bindery. There was also a large commercial Xerox machine that had a collator on it. The office was run by the owner and his wife and daughter. They were paying me $4.50 an hour if I remember right, which I thought was a pretty good deal because I think minimum wage was about $3.35 an hour at the time.

In the spring before I graduated my grandpa died. I told the owner about it and asked for a day off to go to the funeral. He wouldn't let me have it. I had never had a problem with the guy before and he seemed nice enough, but he turned into a total dick. So I took the day off anyway and they fired me.

They would not mail my last check to me. I had to come in a get it and when I did the owner was there waiting for me. I forget most of what he said other than him being pissed off in general. But I do remember this: He told me that he would make sure that I never worked in printing again. I never would have guessed that he could be that mean.

But I did work in printing again- for the next 4 years. Times got tough for me there for a while because my head got all messed up. I ended up in trucking where I have been for the last 12 years. The owner of that little print shop is probably dead by now, he was an old man back then. I wish he could see me now. I'm far from being destroyed and I think I'm a better than he could ever have hoped to be.

[LNM]

1. What an ass.

I enjoy your stories, Tobin. Thanks for sharing.