Matt at Work: My First Job

Day 119

My sister Jennifer and my cousin Jaimee recently have had some posts devoted to places they have worked. I have covered a few places (UPS, WestHost) but I have not covered them all.


The first place that I worked for was at Saddleman's. The same place that my mom worked for. She got me this summer job and I am glad she did. I didn't work in the same building as she did, I worked in the warehouse.

My main job was a baler. I would collect all the cardboard boxes and collapse them and put them in this large cardboard baler machine and crush them. I would also help out around the warehouse in cleaning and helping those around me with assorted jobs. But cardboard was my main task. Which is funny since you had to be over 18 to run that machine and I was only 15. So every time someone would come over I had to leave the bailer and do something else. But it was a pretty fun job. I got to work closely with my cousin Wyatt before he left on his mission. I worked with a great set of people and my boss Rick was the best.

I would run this large machine. I would throw cardboard into it and it would spit out these large bales that I would tie off and collect.
I remember there was a guy (I think his name was Rick or John) that would come around and buy our seconds. He was a very nice man but he wore an extraordinary amount of cologne. You could smell him a mile away. I remember one time I could smell the cologne and I blurted out "Rick/John must be turning the corner on State Street (which was a few blocks away) cause I can smell him." I turned around and he was right behind me. He didn't say a word to me and I am sure he heard me. I felt pretty bad.

During our first break we would all hop into Wyatt's jeep and hit 7/11 for some donuts or Hardee's for food. They must have left me behind (accidently) about ten times. They would always return and see me working away and then drive off suddenly. They would return to 7/11 to grab me something. At least I got free food!

I split my pants one day. Right down the butt from belt line to crotch. And I had no idea and no one was brave enough to tell me. Except for the receptionist Karen but Rick ordered her not to tell me. All day they would say the strangest things to me about blue moons. And of course that day they definitely took me to 7/11.

Karen was getting married and Rick thought it would be funny to buy her some skimpy lingerie. Everyone knew about it except for me and her. We took her to lunch and at lunch he announces "We have a special gift for you that Matt here thinks will be perfect for you. He thinks you should go try it on for him!" I looked around and saw everyone giggling. She opened the gift and quickly closed it embarrassingly. Stupid me asked what it was and she showed me. I about died. I never heard the end of this at work. Until she took me out to lunch (just me) and we went and exchanged it for something else. We told everyone back at work that I picked out something else. Wyatt and Will were so jealous, they all had a crush on her.

We took a trip to another one of our warehouses in Clearfield. We all piled into Rick's Bonneville and cruised down. It was so cramped and uncomfortable. On the way home we were passed by this station wagon. In the back seat was this kid with his underwear on his head. We could also see his bare knees so we knew that the pair on his head was supposed to be elsewhere.

Rick would oftentimes make these stupid announcements over the PA system. He would tell jokes and sing. Much to all of our embarrassment.

It was a great place to work. Rick was good to me even though I was pretty clumsy and dumb at times. He would take us all out to lunch at least weekly. It made putting up with all the teasing worth it.