What Was Your First Job?

 While we wait for things to start happening in the Track World (I am assured that they will!), I figured I would try valiantly to start a conversation amongst my hundreds of readers.  So what the heck.  Tell me about your first job.  Here's some facts about my very first job:

• It was as a gopher (go for this, go for that) for a company building solar energy storage units for a new condominium complex in Dover, PA.  Mind you, this was 1975, so it was earth-shattering stuff. The solar collection panels on the roofs were heated by the sun and the air was then piped into the basement where large units with many pipes surrounded by concrete "stored" the heat.  This was then used to supplement the heating of the air and water in the condo.
• The pay was $5 an hour "under the table".  Cash every Friday.
• My interview was with the obviously bible-thumping contractor .  It consisted of the question, "Do you like the Grateful Dead?"  The answer of "No" was met with biblical accolades and an answer of yes to the hiring. The Grateful Dead was a constant theme throughout the job whenever our paths crossed.  I immediately started listening to the Grateful Dead.  My large collection of Jerry Garcia ties goes back to honoring this first boss!
• The very first piece of advice was to be very careful bringing the pipes out of the truck and taking them down to the basements. The pipes were very roughly cut to length and were ragged and very sharp.  We were supposed to be wearing gloves, but he didn't have any for us. Quite honestly, the very first pipe I handled cut my left index finger to the bone, severing an artery in the process.  To this day, there is blood on the pipes in the basement of unit 12, luckily covered by concrete.  I used a whole roll of paper towels over the course of hours to finally stop the literal spurting of blood by midday.  Then I wrapped the finger in tight duct tape.
• I cut numerous digits over the course of several days, never quite as bad as that first one. I would be happy to show you the scar when we next meet. 
• The project met with such high success that none of the condos use solar heating or hot water today, and the solar panels are all gone.  The large blocks of concrete are still in all of the basements til this day, a relic of misguided Gaia worship.

 

Please regale me with your first jobs, with year and salary info.  Don't be shy.  Use the Facebook site or the comments below or I will be forced to write another post about my second job as a Carny!