I always was a rebel. Did not like people telling me what to do. One day in high school, it was the first couple weeks of classes. I walk in to a class on social history of America or something like it. The guy says start reading chapter 1. They pass out the books. Oops, not enough books to go around. PPP or piss poor planning. For those who don't have a book look at your neighbors book. I said I'm not doing that. My friend said look over at my book. Nope not me. The teacher said if you don't like it leave. I got up, he said if you leave you can't come back. I left after 2 weeks of classes. I went to my advisor, told her, me and the teacher didn't get along. She said go find a class to get into. I found a teacher who would let me in, current history of the US. He said I would have to do all the past work. I said fine. And I did. For the semester I got straight A s. I also had a great time. The guy was cool and laid back. Instead of having a miserable semester I created a better reality for myself.
After high school I went to college. I just drifted. No plan no goals. I do not recommend this route. I took science classes big mistake, I should of taken the history classes. I finally graduated after 5 yrs. I started it and I was determined to finish it. A neighbor of mine said you want to work at my place. I said I'll give it a try. It was at a small foundry his deceased father formed. It was a laid back atmosphere. I didn't have to work too hard. Easy money. After 2 weeks there wasn't enough work so they transfered me to a plant not too far away. This place was 3 times bigger. And the work was hard. Just great. Through the help of a fellow employee I was able to hang on.
Our plant was second from the bottom in employees hired, yet we were near the top in production. We were making 5 dollars an hour to start. Raises a big 25 cents after 6 mos. Boy were we dumb. Boss man would come to open up the gate driving his Porsche Carrera. He lost his license years ago didn't stop him from driving. One day he says to me as were walking down to the plant, stand here and watch Lionel who was up a big platform outside working in the air filtration system. Boss man wanted to know how many breaks Lionel was taking during the hr. Another boss came half hr later, he walks by me, what are you doing he says. I replied spying. What??? Yeah Tommy wants to know how many breaks Lionel is taking. He says oh no that again and leaves me to my spying. Tommy comes back after an hour, so how many breaks, 2 I lied. It really was 12. Tommy 's making about 6 dollars an hour, you really think I'm going to rat him out . The guy was risking his life eventhough he was wearing a mask. It was a dirty sttinkin job period.he said
These bosses would steal from each other by not putting the full amount of precious metal into the finished alloy product . They would pocket the value of the precious metal. I knew 1 guy who took several ingots of metal and toss it in a hole in the floor, it would land in water. He would come back when the tide was out to retrieve the metal. It's under the chapter goes around comes around.
Another day we get a new toy called a mass spectrometer. The second boss can't get it to work right. I looked at the machine and did something I forget what and it works right. The bosses thought I was a genius. It was just a hunch and luck.
It was at morning coffee break. A fellow worker Jerry at 80 yrs old looks at me and says before you know it you will be like me. Now thats what I call a wakeup call. He scared the living daylights out of me. I made up my mind it was time to leave. Had to stay 6 more weeks so as to get my paid week vacation, which you get after 1 yr working there. Jerry had his son working there but they laid him off after 6 weeks. Jerry was hotter than a red chilli pepper, I saw him chasing after one of the bossses. You owe me, you owe me. Jerry was trying to save his son's job. They should have kept the son on. Jerry was a loyal guy to the firm for decades and they treated him like dirt. I was going to quit soon. But fate came a calling. The boss man hired a big guy who filled up an entire door way, he was to be the new foreman. Wednesday they said to come in at 6am on Thursday. Usually when you make a time shift you do it over the weekend not in the middle of the week. I came in at 7am as usual. Foreman says go home, I say No, the only way I'm going home is if you fire me. The foreman can't fire anyone. He goes over to boss man Tommy, whose at the other end of the building. I see them both, I'm in my uniform and hard hat. And I wait and wait , those 2 guys are animated, arms in the air voices rising. It took 10 minutes. Foreman comes back, okay you got your wish your fired! I remove my hard hat and heave it across the plant. Boy that thing flew like a jet. Got back into my civies and never looked back. I'm free.
Went to the unemployment office. The gal says the company is fighting my case, saying I quit. The gal says we know this company don't worry you will get your unemployment checks. That was icing on the cake. After that I worked for myself. One year I worked for a guy who was a general contractor, he was great, the best boss of all time. I'm still friends with him to this day. He was laid back and quick to smile. It was a real pleasure to work for him.
The neighbor who hired me to work at the foundry the first time was let go. It was his father that started the company. He told me he wanted to blow them up. I told him that wasn't a good idea. He got another job at another company. That lasted 6 months then they let him go when they found out all his contacts. He wound up moving several statess away.
One day I was at his house and I saw him kick his 5yr old boy in the seat of his pants. I said don't do that Bob. He says why not? Because it's not right. Several months later, I find out the why. One of the guys at the foundry tells me Bob's father would kick him in the backside at the plant, when Bob was a boy. The sins of the father are passed down the line. How sad how very very sad. Thats why the world is the way it is to this very day.
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