Be thankful you even have a job.

23Dec07

Just days after receiving my license for independence, also known as my driver’s license, I was given my first job.

For some unknown reason, I expected my recently-earned GED would earn me some prestigious position somewhere without even trying. However, that expectation was quickly shattered, as my job was hardly prestigious. In fact, it was miserable and lacked any fun qualities, but it was the job perfect for me.

In brief, my job was to take care of several clay tennis courts. You see, clay tennis courts are a complete pain and require extensive maintenance. I became a Clay Court Technician, and, if I may say so myself, I was the best technician in my field to ever exist.

Originally, I would be required to go in two times per day to perform a series of tasks: roll and brush the tennis courts, which entailed driving a loud-as-hell riding lawnmower over the courts, and then water (flood) them. At the beginning, I was going in two times each day to perform those tasks; however, once the pool opened and I refused to perform my responsibilities while the pool was open and there were dozens of people staring at me, I started going in only at night, after the pool had closed and most patrons had left.

There was supposed to be another kid going in during the middle of the day to perform the same tasks, but he only went in three or four times before his irresponsibility got the best of him and he just simply quit doing it. Even though he quit doing the courts and never told anyone, he continued to put his hours into the payroll book.

Someday, I hope to have such integrity and honesty.

Six days each week for the entire summer, I went in at around 9 p.m. in order to take care of the courts. I received numerous compliments on my work, as the courts were the best they had been in many years. While hardly “proud” of my work, I gained much needed confidence from the position.

After the summer ended, and thus my position, I was offered another job. I was asked to sweep the indoor courts once a week, as the same, aforementioned kid with all of the integrity of the world had quit doing them. It only takes approximately 40 minutes to clean the courts, but I was (and still am) paid $25 per cleaning. Although boring and, again, not prestiguous, I still have not missed a single week of cleaning the courts.

As the next summer approached, I was offered another job, still at the same facility. The position was that of a “Pool Snackbar Moron” and would require much more social interaction than my two previous positions. I reluctantly accepted the offer.

Working that snackbar at the pool was utterly miserable. I hated every minute of it and could not wait for the summer to end. Something about having to cook and prepare food for people and being burned constantly by the oven while in 100 degree weather caused me some serious turmoil.

Even though I made my disdain for my “job” rather clear to the manager, I was still offered yet another job. This one was to work the front desk.

The manager was aware of my cynical and sarcastic nature, and she made her worries clear to me. She was geniunely worried that I was going to offend people and run them out of the club. And she made me promise not to tell the members to “die.” I’m sure she is very thankful that she was wrong.

I currently hold the same position at the front desk. Again, it is not a “prestigious” job; however, it has allowed me to gain confidence and learn important social and communication skills. I can honestly say that if it were not for these opportunities and my current job, there is no way I would be where I am today. Plus, it was my manager who was the most adamant and influential about me going to college.

From my various positions, I have learned to be more humble. I have learned that nothing comes for “free” and you have to work for everything you have. Even when miserable and upset about how measly my jobs have been, I still bettered myself in many ways. Each of the jobs has taught me important life skills, and each of the jobs have helped me become the person that I am today.

Instead of being full of disdain, I am thankful for those low-paying and miserable jobs, for they have taught me what other jobs cannot.

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Tags: clay, clay court, clay tennis court, job, jobs, low paying, pay, Social Anxiety, tennis, Work