What inspires me today...
Summer jobs
It's that time again, a time where I always have too much time on my hands, and not enough money in them. That is why I am a big fan of the SUMMER JOB. Near impossible to get in this economy, where hardly anywhere wants to pay to train an employee for three months of work, I have managed to grab-bag a wide range of random jobs over the past few summers.
This is the tale of one of those jobs:
It was the perfect plan.
It seemed completely ideal.
Make your own schedule, tell jokes, get some exercise, meet weird people, make money, wear whatever you want, ride a bike... What could go wrong!
Well, plenty.
When you decide one summer that you would like to drive the "Pedicab," a bicycle cab service, around Portland as employment, a few disappointments are awaiting you.
1. It is hard to ride up hills on a bicycle.
2. It is harder to ride up hills on a bicycle toting a small cab on the back.
3. It is near impossible to ride up hills on a bicycle toting a small cab with another human in it.
4, 5, 6. No one called me Short Round. I did not get to wear an old Yankees baseball cap. I did not meet Dr. Jones.
When the only hours that make any real money are on Friday and Saturday between 11pm and 2am, when you hit all the hoppers and last-callers stumbling in and out of bars looking for some transportation, you know you're in for some trouble. Also, it costs $30 bucks to take the cab out for the day, so the pressure is on to be awesome enough to make your money back and-then-some. Also, it's hard to joke around when you can't breathe. Also, the tire popped in training. Also, when you're trained by a giant handlebar mustache-sporting man named Leemond, and meet another cabber named Cy who calls you every few months and leaves confusing messages about hanging out, it might not be the right fit.
Total days worked at Pedicab: 1
Moral of the story: Not worth it. Get a job at Jamba Juice or something.
I like how you know when something isn't going to work out, you aren't one of those people who stick it out for the sake of what ever lame excuse.
ReplyDeleteCross-Country: 3 days
Point and case.