Seeking Work Closer To Home

by Sankey

Background
My cheap car probably cost a lot more after I paid the Fine! Last, in my acquisitions of "Triumphs" well 'Triumph Heralds" Came the "RED TERROR!"

(Chapt 6a-Word)

Now 18 years of age, I was becoming tired of the long trips into town, using two buses, every day, so I started looking around for another position closer to home. I cannot remember how I managed to get an interview for my next job. I had been working five and a half days per week and all I can think of is; I must have taken a "sickie" on the day.

The new job was as a mail and banking clerk at York Air Conditioning in Gladesville. The job involved being a general ‘messenger boy’ around the factory and office complex. I was also trained to do photocopying, an interesting and far more complex function than today’s processes.

Back then, the photocopying machine needed a lot more care and supervision than our machines in the 21st Century. For example, an intermediate roll was the only way of creating a ‘photograph' of the documents you wanted to copy. No ‘inkjet' processes in those days. Of course, there was still the old Duplicators - both ink and spirit machines used in the offices of the day.

I was also in charge of stationery requirements for the staff throughout the office. Duties also included the taking of lunch orders and delivering the order to the local shop and returning with their orders later. Another task I quite enjoyed was moving around the factory complex delivering mail and other documents or internal mail to the different sections of the rather large factory.

Living in the Ryde area meant I was relatively close to work. I enjoyed the work at York Air but I made the mistake of becoming 'ambitious'. While there, I commenced a "Commerce Certificate" course at Meadowbank Tech (now known as TAFE* -*Technical and Further Education). I had the misguided idea that I could advance in the workplace by studying a related subject. I had hoped I would get 'on-the-job' experience to back up the study I was doing. Alas, it was not to be.

If I had stayed satisfied with the job - (doing banking and mailing and pick-ups around the factory), kerbing the spark of ambition that had come to life in me I, most likely, would have remained there for years. Although I later learned that this company had a leaning towards the sacking of employees, for trivial reasons.

In retrospect, I might have done better to continue with the music shop in the city, because after seven months at York, I was made redundant. Fortunately, my boss at York agreed to a suggestion by my mother, when she asked that I might be allowed some time to find a new job before they put me off. This had been only my second full-time job since leaving school two years previously. They thankfully did; but, of course, when you've got dismissal hanging over your head you take the first opportunity that comes along!

It turned out I had undiagnosed "Sleep Apnoea". This was the case for my entire life up till 1990. More on this later. However, at York Air, I was probably nodding off, at York Air. Just as I had been doing - way back through School Days. I was accused of "sawing wood" every night...snoring, at home.

This had been another rocky period of my life. My mother was candidating for acceptance (not be confused with "employed on wages," actually it would have to be a total "life" commitment) with a group involved in selling Christian books and materials. Mum had done bookkeeping for many years on a voluntary basis, for these people.

The headquarters of the group was in West Pennant Hills and we were to 'live-in' there for a short time. I was travelling to work at Gladesville from Pennant Hills (which involved 2 buses and the train - if I didn't get a lift. So much for the original delight of working close to home) - then going to Tech* 2 nights a week, at Meadowbank. My brother and I were not real happy about our new living situation in strange surroundings. I think the main problem was the lack of privacy.

We had to share the living quarters with an older spinster woman, (Miss Shackles) who was quite domineering. I think she probably thought we were "invading her castle or personal space* " as I became aware of this *term years later. But, I venture to say, we felt "shackelled" ~ to the place, ourselves - and this eventually resulted in us going back to our own home, and Mum being dropped as a candidate for the Mission.

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*Tech stands for TAFE or Technical and Further Education. ~shackeIled is a play on the old lady's name. I do really enjoy the reviews and advice from other members of Fan Story and I do hope you will all continue along with me into this more recently re-edited chapter.

The picture is of the house I grew up in. Had a FanArt picture but it disappeared.

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Looking for shorter hours and closer to home...but then....

A chapter in the book The Little Dog That Wouldn't Let Go

Seeking Work Closer To Home

by Sankey

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