My First Day at Work

Dh attended training at work about motivation in the workplace.  He learned about Generation X and the Millennials.    I was amused to hear the story of the mom who called for a new hire to negotiate her child's salary and of a parent that accompanied her child on his/her first day of work.

That reminded me of my first day at work post-college many years ago.  I had arrived at the factory bright and early, at the appointed time.  I parked by the main entrance and in front of, I was later to learn, the window of the man who would be my boss.  He was watching out this window as another man approached me outside and introduced himself as the plant manager.  As I remember it, the plant manager was friendly, but not overly so, and put his hand on my shoulder, guiding me to the front door and offering to show me where to go.  I felt welcomed to be so kindly treated by the top man at the place on my first day.

After introducing me, he left me at the office of my new boss who was chuckling as the top dog left.  He explained that when he saw me with Top Dog out the window, he assumed it was perhaps a tryst set up by Top Dog, not his new hire.  I should probably have gotten up and left right then, as it was a clue to the nature of the environment I was entering.  I was to spend the next five years in that male dominated, chauvinist and dirty factory.   I made good money, learned a lot, and met dh there - so it wasn't all bad.

The factory now sits empty, victim to the high cost of an ancient and unionized plant.  Toothpaste was sent to Mexico and liquids to Ohio.   My department, powders was outsourced as well.  The buildings, once a jail in the late 1800s, are for sale once again.