So, it’s pretty hot today. The air conditioner in the office
is a-pumping – to the point where I’m a little shivery in my long sleeve
sweater. But even at eight this morning, walking outside was like getting
punched in the throat by an angry heat goblin. It seems as though the first day
of summer came and thought, No, no! This
mild weather will not do! Let’s heat these suckers up.
The result: today.
This has me harkening back to the summer jobs of
yesteryears, of which I’m going to share a few classics with you.
-
Swimming Instructor’s Assistant
o This
was my first real job ever. That lovely summer between freshman and sophomore
year of high school. Ah, nostalgia. Now, seeing as how I’ve never really been a
swimmer, in the traditional sense (I mean, I can keep myself from going under,
but it looks less Olympic level and more like a demented frog seizure. But I
don’t drown! So…win.), it was probably a good call on the pool’s part to only
hire me on as an assistant. My services were generally called in when we had
classes on the far ends of the age spectrum. I jumped in the pool, made sure I
was nearby in case anyone was struggling. And in my free time, I sat on the
side of the pool, chatting with the other assistants, completely oblivious to
the fact that the rough concrete was slowly wearing away at the seat of my
bathing suit, until it became so sheer that you could see right through it.
Awkward. All in all, though, it was a pretty good job. Not overly strenuous.
Got to hang out by a pool every day. Even when a kid had a
not-so-originally-named “Code Brown,” or the even less subtle, “Someone just
puked,” in the water and we had to clear everyone out of the pool to disinfect
it, the days went by pretty smoothly. And I still remember what I did with that
very first paycheck. My sister and I went with a friend to see Legally Blonde. Worth.
Every. Penny.
-
Crew Member of Large Paddle Boat
o One
of my shortest forms of employment, yet also one from which I have the most
stories. This paddle boat took people out for three hour tours around the bay
(and yes, every single time I think of this all I hear in my head is the
Gilligan theme song. Which then leads to the torturous question of why? WHY did
those folks pack so many outfits if they were only going out for a three hour tour?
But I can’t get sucked down that hole right now. So, stop it.). People would
rent it for a vast variety of get-togethers: birthdays, graduations, class
trips. One afternoon we had a very touching wake. Another day we hosted a Red Hat party with a Hawaiian theme. I
have never heard so many jokes about getting “lei-d.” I cleaned, I polished, I
changed water and oil. I was tapped for bathroom detail after we ferried around
a group of kids who were particularly prone to motion sickness. I had a short
stint of bartending and spent one afternoon as a caterer’s assistant. More than
once, I hung off the side of the boat to lasso it to the pier when we came back
in. The job may have only lasted a month, but somehow I don’t see myself ever
forgetting it.
-
Counselor in Children’s Section at Local Library
o By
far my favorite summer job of all time. Not only did I get to decorate the
section in an Ancient Egypt theme, but I got to do Story Times with the kids
and work on craft projects related to the books we read. I spoke to parents
about more book suggestions for the kids who were involved in the library’s
summer reading program and those who hadn’t really shown an interest, but had
parents who wanted to find something that would turn on that light for them. And
I got to sit with the kids and listen to them talk about all the coolest things
they had just finished reading. Let me tell you, nothing is quite as awesome as
seeing kids completely jazzed up about a story. And finally, I got to karaoke “These
Boots Are Made For Walkin’,” with one of the librarians at an afternoon event.
In conclusion, it was a summer of magic. And a job that I still miss.
How about anyone else? Do phenomenal past jobs spring to mind on this
very hot of days?
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