Memoirs of a Courtesy Clerk - Geoffrey

Up here in Spokane, Washington most of the kids go and get jobs throughout their high school career. Although I hadn't had much formal work experience, about 2-3 months ago I set out job hunting in order to get experience and make some money. I learned a lot about finding a job and talking to people. First, most people who aren't a manager, store owner, or hiring person generally aren't going to be of much help. Also, I discovered that when someone says, "I'll call you if we need somebody" or something of the like, one should not expect to get a phone call any time soon. But, I'm really glad that finding somewhere that was willing to hire me, a high school student under 18 years old, was so difficult...because I learned so much. I finally figured out how to present myself, have an attractive resume ready, and talk convincingly to set up an interview for a job. After networking through people I know, I set up an interview at Safeway to be a courtesy-clerk. I realized that instead of just applying to the jobs that sounded interesting or fun to me, I needed to apply wherever I could get working fastest. Many of my friends have been looking for a job for over a year now. So, I soon thereafter got the job and began training in the high-class position of courtesy-clerk at Safeway (aka cleaner, bagger, "bag boy," cart pusher, and other derogatory titles). After eight hours of powerpoints on a monday (I didn't have school that day cause of spring break) I began work the next day. With menacing responsibilities and seemingly overwhelming tasks I began my 6 hours of work. I was the scheduled "closer" that night so I had the responsibility to sweep the building every hour, get carts every half hour, bag groceries, and do the closing responsibilities of locking up, removing trash, and stocking in the freezers -- so really not bad or menacing at all. After I had done almost everything I needed to, above and beyond duty, of course, I then started stocking the dairy freezer. I had been given a short tour of my duties, but when i say short i mean short. Just moments after I closed the monstrous freezer door, I had the sickening epiphane that since there was no handle on the inside I had no idea how to get out. I started trying everything. After nothing seemed to open the doors I thought to myself, "Use your common sense! What can you do???" After a few interminable minutes of pondering my predicament I found a possible solution. I starting moving carts of milk and inconspicuously climbing out of the doors people open to get their milk. To my great fortune, there was nobody trying to grab milk at that moment or they might have grabbed my head instead.