I Know What I Don't Want to Do When I Get Out

Growing up in Texas, one got used to the heat, humidity and the bugs … lots of bugs. My worst summer job during high school, and I had many, was when I had the opportunity to work at a big lumber yard.

My job -- along with another young lad -- was to unload the train box cars of lumber that arrived weekly. All the unloading was done by hand. It was like a giant jigsaw puzzle, only in reverse. We would open the massive door of the car and inside was lumber stacked to the top, less the last three feet.

One would crawl into the top space and work on our knees handing out one board at a time. The other one would stand on the forks of the forklift and stack the boards as they were handed out. Once the “hole” was large enough for two, we both worked inside the car.

Inside the cars at midday was about 140 degrees. Most of the lumber was large planks rough sawn, which means there were plenty of splinters. It would take two days to unload one car. However, when the cedar shakes came, they were worse. Bundles of shakes also stacked to near the top. One bundle at a time was handed out.

Once inside the hot car, the sawdust was unreal and made you itch all over. Hard to breath, unbelievably hot outside in the sun (102 felt like 125) and the humidity would weaken even the strongest. Soaking with sweat, the bugs would land on you and you would suffer big time. The boss would check on us about four times a day and yell that we worked too slowly.

As soon as the last board or bundle was handed out, the switch engine would arrive to leave another full car and take the empty one away. After the first day, it was really hard to get up each day knowing what was waiting for you when you got to work. All for minimum wage of about $1.75 and hour. I learned early in life what I did not want to do for a living when I grew up!

(Submitted by Mr. Bob Edwards, Air Force)