A NEW WAY OF LIFE!

IN 1988
WE LOST OUR HOME AND WE WERE LIVING IN MOTELS FROM HERE IN CLEVELAND, OHIO TO NAUGATUCK, CT..

I LOST MY JOB FROM THE PRINT SHOP I WORKED AT FOR OVER 12 YEARS.
AND MY WIFE GOT FIRED FROM HERS FOR YEARS SHE DID NOT WANT TO TELL ME WHY UNTIL YEARS LATER.

I TOOK A JOB AT A CLOTHING CO..
SHE DID TEMP NURSING.

THE INTERESTING THING!
IS THAT EVEN THOUGH BETWEEN US WE MADE JUST ENOUGH TO MAKE ENDS MEET EACH WEEK.
BUT! BECAUSE OF ME WORKING AT THE CLOTHING CO..
THE KIDS WERE DRESSED IN GRANAMALS CLOTHING AND I DID MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST THEY WERE DRESSED WELL AND PROPER.

OUR LUCK DID NOT CHANGE FOR QUITE SOMETIME!
UNTIL THERE WAS A CLASSIFIED AD IN THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER  FOR A NURSE IN WATERBURY, CT..
MY WIFE WENT TO THE INTERVIEW AND WAS HIRED IN A FEW WEEKS.

WHEN THE TIME DID COME TO LEAVE!
WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO STAY IN WILLIAMSPORT, PA THEN WATERBURY, CT..

THE MEDICAL CENTER ALSO HAD A JOB FOR ME AS WELL (IF YOU CAN CALL WORKING FOR A TEMP AGENCY A JOB?).

THEY PUT US UP IN AT THAT TIME THE HOWARD - JOHNSON'S HOTEL IN WATERBURY FOR A WEEK.

THEN AFTER THE WEEK ENDED, WE HAD TO FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO STAY.
TO WHICH WE DID.

I DID FIND A JOB THROUGH A TEMP AGENCY (NOT THAT AGENCY!).

I ASSEMBLED THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS TOGETHER  EVERY WEEKEND.
FOR AT LEAST APPROX. FOUR WEEKS.

I WAS OFFERED A $10.00 AN HR. JOB THERE BUT I HAD TO TURN IT DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS ONLY ONE CAR BETWEEN US.

THEN I GOT A JOB WORKING AT MCDONALDS' AS A CASHIER.
I SET UP THE MACHINES, SET UP THE COUNTER, TOOK ORDERS IN BETWEEN BREAKS I WATCHED THE TRAINING VIDEOS.
THE HIGH POINT DURING MY TOUR OF DUTY THERE!
WAS WHEN  "NO ONE"!
KNEW HOW TO MAKE "ICED TEA"!
THE SHIFT SUPERVISOR THOUGHT SHE DID!
THE MANAGER THOUGHT SHE DID!
THE ASSISTANT MANAGER TO THE SAME DID!
THEY EVEN WENT TO THE CORPORATE MANUAL AND EVEN THEY!
DID NOT BELIEVE THAT!
THEN! THEY CALLED THE FRANCHISEE AND THE FRANCHISEE CALLED THE HQ!
THEY WENT WITH HQ ON HOW TO MAKE ICED TEA.

THE REASON EVERYONE HAD A HARD TIME IN MAKING ICED TEA WAS THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WAS NEEDED TO PUT IN THE ERN WHEN THE POT OF TEA WAS DONE.


WE DID FIND A PLACE TO LIVE IN NAUGATUCK WITH THE HELP OF MY WIFE'S GIRLFRIENDS FROM THE JOB.
AND SETTLED IN.

I DID FIND A JOB AT A COMPUTER MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN TOWN AS WELL.
BEFORE I LEFT MCD!
MY MANAGER GAVE ME A $0.10 RAISE SO I WOULD THINK ABOUT STAYING.
BUT! MAKING $5.50 AN HR. THERE!
TO MAKING $7.50 AN HR. AT THE COMPUTER COMPANY!
WELL! EASY!!!!!

AND LATER! I WORKED AGAIN AT MCDONALDS'' AGAIN!
BUT THIS TIME!
IT WAS AT ANOTHER MCD'S RIGHT IN TOWN!
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT THE WAY MCD WOULD WANT IT BECAUSE IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STORES (THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL THEM!)  ARE TO BE A CERTAIN DISTANCE A PART SO GET A GOOD MARKET SHARE.

THAT WAS A RIOT!!!!!!
THE MANAGER WAS THE ASSISTANT MANAGER AT THE ONLY MCD IN THE TOWN.
AND HER FMR.  BOSS NOW SUPERVISOR!  WOULD WRITE HER UP EACH TIME SHE WAS THERE HELPING HER OUT.
AT THE TIME! HER SUPERVISOR WROTE HER UP FOR (KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS THE OLD EQUIPMENT!).
NOT CLEANING THE TOASTER THAT TOASTS THE BUNS, NOT HAVING THE PIPED IN MUSIC TURNED ON, FOR NOT HAVING TIMERS IN PLACE, AND SO ON!

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DO NOT DO TO THIS OLD BOY!
IS TRY TO SCREW HIM AROUND!

BECAUSE! YOU SCREW ME!
I DO THE SAME WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT!

SHE DID!
AND! I DID AS WELL!

I WALKED AWAY FROM MCD'S WITH MY ESOP IN TACT.
AND WHILE I WAS AT THE COMPUTER CO..
I ALSO ENROLLED IN THEIR ESOP PLAN THERE AS WELL.

FOR ME IT WAS A MATTER OF OWNING SOMETHING!
AND! I DID!!!!!!!

MY WIFE ALWAYS MADE HOLIDAY BAKING EVERY YEAR.
AND WHEN WE WERE THERE!
SHE SAID SHE COULD NOT FIND A ROLLING PIN NOWHERE!
I SAID: "WHY BAKE IT"!  "WHEN YOU CAN BUY IT"!
BECAUSE CONNECTICUT IS THE 2ND. RICHEST STATE IN THE UNION, 1ST. PLACE IS ALASKA.

AT THE TIME!
THE STATE GOT UNDERWAY THEIR STATE LOTTERY!
THERE WAS AT ONE POINT!
THEY HAD A SCRATCH-N-MATCH LOTTERY TICKET FOR $20.00!
AND YOU COULD WIN $1,000,000.
BUT! THE NUMBER OF CHANCES WERE WAY TOO MUCH FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DID BUY INTO IT!
IF I RECALL!
THEY INCREASED THE ODDS OF WINNING.


THE SPRING/SUMMER MONTHS! BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
THE AUTUMN THE LEAVES TURNING DIFFERENT COLORS WOW!!!!!!
THE WINTERS!
NOTHING LIKE IT EVER!

THEN! THE RECESSION CAME!
AND IT TOOK MY JOB AS WELL.
I DID LATER GET ANOTHER JOB WORKING AT A GLASS CO. THAT MADE MIRRORS.IT WAS INTERESTING BUT THE WORK THAT GOES INTO IT!

YOU TAKE A PLATE OF GLASS.
PLACE THE ROUGH SIDE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PLATE OF GLASS ON THE SIDE, YOU WILL SE ONE SIDE HAS A SMOOTH AND IT ALSO HAS A ROUGH SIDE AS WELL.
THE ROUGH SIDE UP, ON THE CONVEYOR BELT AND LET THE MACHINE DOES THE REST ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE THERE IS ENOUGH CHEMICALS TO DO THE JOB.
THE MACHINE WASHES THE GLASS.
DRY THE GLASS.
THEN!  IT SPRAYS  ON A CHEMICAL  IS CALLED TIN (OR! WHAT WE WOULD CALL SILVER) THAT IS THE CHEMICAL THAT IS USED TO CREATE A REFLECTION.
THEN COPPER IS SPRAYED AS WELL THE REASON WHY COPPER IS USED IS BECAUSE TIN TARNISHES BUT COPPER DOES NOT!
THEN THE GLASS GETS PUSHED THROUGH THE PAINT CURTAIN REAL FAST SO THAT WHEN IT GOES THROUGH THE CURTAIN!
IT GETS A THIN COATING OF PAINT ON THE BACK OF IT.
THEN IT GOES UNDER A HEATING ELEMENT TO DRY.
THEN THE GLASS IS COLLECTED AT THE END OF THE MACHINE.

IT WAS EVEN INTERESTING AS WELL!
THE ONE THAT WAS IN CHARGE WAS NOT SURE OF ANYTHING!
BUT! HE HAS BEEN WITH THE CO. FOR SUCH A LONG TIME .
HE MUST HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING WHILE HE WAS THERE.

HE TOLD ME WHEN THERE WAS JUST TWO PEOPLE SPRAYING ON THE MIRRORS.
HE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT TOO MUCH! NOT TOO LITTLE WAS PUT ON THEM.
I DO HAVE TO RESPECT HIM AND WHAT HE DOES THOUGH!

THE PEOPLE THERE.
HAVE THEIR OWN WAY OF TALKING AS ANYWHERE USA DOES!

SHOPPING CARTS=CARRIAGES, MARKER PLATE= LICENSE PLATE, GRINDER=A SANDWICH THAT HAS A CHEWY BREAD TEXTURE TO IT.
THE TOWN PLOT/ON THE GREEN=THE CENTER OF TOWN.

THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE WORD "CALL"!
WAS SAID LIKE "GIVE NE A QUWALL"!
WITH LIPS PUCKERED UP WHEN SAID!

AT THAT TIME! THE CABLE SYSTEM WAS A TWO BAND CONVERTER BOX SYSTEM.
YOU GOT  A CONVERTER AND TWO A-B SWITCHES!
ONE WAS FOR THE CONNECTICUT STATIONS AND THE OTHER WAS FOR THE STATIONS IN NYC AND N. J..

THEY DID AT ONE POINT!
HAVE WHAT COULD BE CALLED AS  A" LOTTERY AGENT"!
IT WAS A PERSON THAT WOULD TAKE YOUR MONEY WITH A FEE FOR DOING THIS!
AND GO TO THE STATES NEXT DOOR ON YOUR BEHALF AND BUY THAT STATE'S LOTTERY TIX.
THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT OUTLAWED THAT REAL QUICK!

THE STATE DID NOT HAVE A LOTTERY UNTIL THESE LOTTERY AGENTS CAME ON THE SCENE.

AN INTERESTING TYPE OF GAME IS PLAYED THERE!
JAI-ALI, AND CAKE WALKING!
HERE IS HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED: http://www.ehow.com/how_7720387_play-carnival-cakewalk-game.html

EVERYDAY I WENT TO WORK!
I ALWAYS GOT A BURRITO FOR BREAKFAST!
THE PERSON BEHIND THE COUNTER  (A DIFFERENT ONE ALMOST EACH TIME) ASK ME: "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS GET A BURRITO FOR BREAKFAST"?
I SAID:"EVER HAD PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST"?
THEY WOULD SAY "YES"!
AND I WOULD SAY WELL"!
AND THEY WOULD THINK AND SAY "YOUR RIGHT"!

I REMEMBER SOMEONE TELLING ME!
AT ONE TIME THE DRIVE-IN THEATER ONCE SHOWED XXX-RATED MOVIES!
YOU HEARD RIGHT!!!!!!

BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE MOVIE SCREEN WAS POSITIONED FACING THE WOODED AREA!
JUST ABOUT EVERYONE! PARKED IN THE BACK WHERE THERE WAS A SIDE STREET AND PARKED THERE SO THEY DID NOT HAVE TO PAY!
BUT IT WAS SHORT LIVED!

THE INTERESTING THING! ABOUT DINNING IN CONNECTICUT!
WAS NO RESTAURANT COULD EVER NOT EVEN CLOSE!
KNOW HOW TO MAKE WHITE CLAM SAUCE!
SOME CLAM SAUCES WERE CLEAR!
SOME WERE CLOUDY!
SOME EVEN WERE MADE WITH BUTTER FOR A SAUCE!
THEY DID GET THE CLAM PART RIGHT!!!!!

THERE WAS ONE RESTAURANT THAT SERVED "FRIED HOT DOGS"!

THERE WAS A SUPERMARKET WAR GOING ON THERE AS WELL!

IT WENT LIKE THIS!
IF YOU BOUGHT A ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS!
YOU WOULD GET A HALF GALLON OF ORANGE JUICE!
THE "NEW KID IN TOWN"!
WAS  SUPERMARKET CALLED WALDBAUM'S!


DURING OUR TIME THERE!
WE WENT TRAVELING!

WE VISITED NEWGATE PRISON.
THERE! WAS A STORY ABOUT A LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN A PRISONER  A GUARD!
WE ALSO VISITED AN AIR AND AUTO MUSEUM, MARINE LAND IN MYSTIC, CT..

IT WAS INTERESTING!!
FROM THE MIDWEST.
THE TEMPS WERE IN THE 60'S.
EVERYONE THERE WOULD WEAR A SWEATER!
AND HERE WE ARE WITH JUST OUR CLOTHES.

THERE WAS ON TIME IN THE WINTER WHEN THE TEMPS WERE IN THE 30'S ONE DAY!
AND THEN IN THE 60'S THE NEXT!
I ENDED UP GETTING "WALKING PNEUMONIA"!
ALSO TOO!
WE FOUND THAT WHEN IT IS CLOUDY!
WE GOT A TAN.
ALWAYS AROUND THE FALL THERE WOULD BE FREEZING RAIN THAT WOULD TURN INTO ICE ON THE GROUND.

WE FOUND OUT THAT!
IN WATERBURY!
THE WEST SIDE IS THE DANGEROUS PART OF TOWN.
WHILE THE EAST SIDE WAS SAFE.

WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING FURNITURE!
THE SALESPERSON ALWAYS ASKS:"WHAT IS YOUR ROOM COLOR COORDINATION"?
ALL WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS TO BUY SOME FURNITURE!

SINCE THE NEXT TOWN IS WATERBURY!
THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ENDS AT 6:00 PM EVERY EVENING.
SO! ONE DOES NEED THEIR OWN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

THEN! WE CAME BACK TO CLEVELAND.
THE JOBS I HAD OVER THE YEARS!
WORKED IN A PRINT SHOP, CLOTHING WAREHOUSE, PUT SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS TOGETHER, WORKED MCD 2X'S, COMPUTER MFG., GLASS CO. MAKING MIRRORS, TELEMARKETER, PEDDLER, SECURITY GUARD, JANITOR, SOLD TUPPERWARE.

AS THE OLD SAYING GOES!
"BE A JACK OF ALL TRADES AND A MASTER OF NONE"!
AND! I AM!!!!!!

SOMEONE SAID TO ME ONE TIME!
"YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO"!
"UNTIL YOU GO AND DO IT"!

IF THERE IS ANYTHING ONE CAN LEARN FROM ALL OF THIS!
IS THIS!

"YOUR AVOCATION COULD LEAD TO A VOCATION"!