In 1966, my dad asked me if I wanted to work at the ice factory. At the time, I was making 95 cents an hour at a hardware store and the factory laborers made $2.47 cents an hour which was almost beyond my wildest dreams. There was overtime pay and paid days off as well so I jumped on the opportunity.
My dad was the refrigeration engineer at the plant and he was universally respected as a hard worker. So much so that the job interview with the plant foreman lasted ten minutes before he told me I could start the next day.
I don't recall if I was nervous those first days on the job or not. I do recall being enthused about trying to run the huge fork lifts and pulling the trucks and semi's in and out of the loading bays. I was 18 and thus I knew everything and I'm sure that made my dad nervous in those first few weeks. At least until I proved myself and learned that I didn't know everything but that I could learn.
Yeh, I had a few minor scrapes along the way and a few broken fingers which can happen when you throw 400 pound cakes of ice around. But within two years I ran the second shift and dad only had to worry about my breaking body parts and needing stitches. He no longer had to worry if his son could survive out in the real world.
Although I worked the same shift as dad, I had my job to do and he had his. We did get to communicate and work together and I learned more about my father in those days than I ever did at home. I would imagine if he were alive today he would say the same thing.
I wonder now if he was nervous those first few days when his son came to work at his factory.
I ask that because my son is about to work at my place of business and my stomach is in knots. One of our tech people is going back to college and won't be full time anymore and another is leaving. The publisher asked me if my son would like a job and I said I would ask him.
To be honest, I thought Tim would say no since it starts at 7:00 a.m. and he is a 23-year-old which means that's about the time he goes to bed. He said he would like to talk to the owner and as a nervous dad; I went out of the building just to not be within possible earshot of the conversation.
When I came back, the publisher and a grinning son told me that Tim starts tomorrow.
So now I have all these feelings. I'm glad Tim got the job and I'm glad he is in a great work environment and I am delighted that he is starting in a ground floor position in the world of computers that doesn't care that he has Cerebral Palsy in his legs.
I also am nervous and worried that he will do a good job and start the road to financial independence that his mom and I have always prayed for.
Tim seems fine with it all, not caring to tell me what he is thinking. In fact he said that if the job doesn't work out he can always be a sword swallower in a traveling carnival.
Dad; grandpa, I sure wish you were here right now. Your kid needs some calming words to help get him through the next few weeks with his kid.
Freelance writer, columnist, author and writing coach, ex-Chicagoan Mike Fak presently resides in Central Illinois. More information about Mike's services are available at his home website www.mikefak.com
Mike currently writes primarily humor columns for searchwarp bi-weekly and is the managing editor of www.lincolndailynews.com
Hi Mike. I am sure that you will both do fine. And sounds like your son inherited your sense of humor.
I like your new photo.
I wish I could have worked with my father. I know so little about him, really. He died when I was just shy of 16 and I never really got the chance to learn much about him. I think you were very lucky.
Thanks Dianne. Yes, I was lucky to have my dad around but still I often wish he was here for Tim. They are so much alike, they would have been best buddies for sure. Thanks Mike
Thanks Sue. I will keep everyone abreast of how things go. I imagine it will be something about the new tree being bigger and better than the old. Which will please me insufferably of course.
Congratulations to Tim! Congratulations to you on being able to stay out of the process & let him go after it on his own! I worked with my dad as a teenager & now work with one of my sons (he's supposed to be working for me, but he keeps telling me what I'm doing wrong.... :) You'll know he's made it when he starts correcting you. It's maddening when they are right - but it's also delightful!
You are so right Jean. This morning the publisher showed me with Tim watching how to post all the AP stories.
I have the files at home so I can practice and when I told Tim we can both practice, he said "Judging from this morning, I think you need the practice, not me."
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