My kids don’t do, eat, or enjoy many of the things that I did as a kid. For some reason they don’t like getting up to change the channel on the TV, preferring these things called “remotes.” And, Emma has no desire to have a Dorothy Hamill haircut: WEIRD!
But, there is some common ground. In the same way I did, they like sugary cereal, cartoons, having a lemonade stand and acting like they didn’t hear their mom when she told them to not shove shit under their beds.
Taken today. One of Sam’s drawers.
Perhaps the hugest stand-out in the world of “what I liked as a child and my kids like too” is the infamous 7-11 Slurpee. I don’t know if it’s the allure of the frosty, corn syrupy, artificially colored mystery liquid, the plastic bubble lid, the spoon straw or the fact that they can mix and match all the fancy flavors like cherry-kiwi and Mountain Dew mania. But, I loved those concoctions, and my kids do too. Man, I just crave that red food coloring #3. Causes thyroid tumors in rats.
Whatever the case, I took Sam, age 13, to the orthodontist the other day and he asked if we could grab a Slurpee afterwards. Sure. I’m a big spender. “Sure son, I’ll buy you a Slurpee if you pay for it out of your allowance!” (I’m not even kidding).
I waited in the car while he went into the 7-11. I observed the caliber of folks going in. My favorite was the overly tattooed guy with the shaved head, the half cigarette hanging from his pie hole and the wife beater tank top donning his skinny chest. Regardless of where it’s located, the “Sev” (as we used to call it in high school) manages to attract the colorful types. I mean “colorful” in the best possible way.
For a split second, because I watch too many movies, I had the image of the store being robbed and everyone inside being held hostage. I had visions of Sam hiding behind the tampons, shielding himself with a big box of pads or some Hostess Twinkies.
Sam came out safely.
Sam: “Did you see the guy with the tattoos?”
Me: “Yep, he was cute.”
Sam: “I always think the people who work at 7-11 are kind of…well…not that smart”
Me: “Watch it, son. I used to work there.”
Sam: “That’s why I said it. I knew you’d get all worked up.”
Yes, it’s true. I worked at the “Sev” during the summer after college when I lived at the the beach (Ocean City, MD) and could not pay my rent from my waitressing income. So, I did the 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. shift at the “Sev” and then went to The Bonfire (it’s still there) to wait tables.
The thing I remember most about the Bonfire was that we were all so poor. The big deal was eating the leftovers off of the plates that came back to the kitchen from the dining room. So gross. If it was a particularly pricey item like a seafood combo, people would fight over it. The “Ultimate Seafood Nest” was the jackpot. I have worked in at least ten restaurants, but this is the only place where I saw this happen.
By the way, I lasted four shifts at the “Sev” before I quit. Despite any rumors you might have heard, I was not fired or laid off. Which is good because the severance package sucked.
Reminiscing about the “Sev” got me to thinking about all the random jobs I have had in my life. I’ve never been a straight-line kind of girl. In fact, I’ve been all over the map, to just with jobs, but with college majors, places I’ve lived, etc. Some might call me indecisive and lost, but I like to think this has made me “colorful” like the guy in the wife beater shirt.
Random jobs I’ve had:
Cashier at 7-11
Dishwasher at the dining hall in college
Blackjack dealer
Receptionist
Event planner
Cashier at Roy Rogers
Retail worker at a fabric store (and I hate fabric stores, always have)
Waitress at a dinner theater
Office manager
French language translator
Caseworker – social services
Personal assistant to a crazy psychologist
Can you pick me out? This was when I worked at a country club, hence the bow ties and cummerbunds. It would be a lot harder if there were more than two girls. No, I’m not the one with the beard.
I think having multiple jobs is a sign of the times. I can only remember my dad having two jobs after college. He was a history teacher and then worked for the Social Security Administration. My father-in-law had only one job his entire life with the FBI. These days it seems people jump around a lot more. Or, maybe it’s just me.
What’s the most random job you’ve ever had?
Have you always known what you wanted to be when you grew up? I am still figuring this out. I know what I don’t want to be: cashier at 7-11, accountant, sewage worker.
Now that’s what I’m talking about
SUAR
*Please don’t inundate me with comments about how unhealthy Slurpees are for my kids. I get it. I also get that the Allies tortured people too and many other things.
