A SUMMER OF RESPONSIBILITIES

" ONEIL ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL THIS SUMMER, OR YOU'RE JUST PLANNING TO DO NOTHING AS USUAL ". My answer was " I DON'T KNOW ". Three words that my father can't stand "I don't know". I saw the look on his face after I gave him that careless response.... HE WASN'T PLEASED. Consequently, I decided that it was time for me to have a job. It took me a week to find it. One July 3rd , 1999 I FOUND MY FIRST JOB . It was a french bakery on 42nd street, 3rd ave "AU BON PAIN" . I went through an interview and I was all set to start my first job.

The interview was very boring. The manager of the bakery made me wait for two hours before he came to interview me. Two hours later, he showed up and apologized for the wait. He then asked me a very common question an employer would ask to a person who was to be hired the question was " HAVE YOU EVER HAD A JOB? " my answer was " NO ". The peculiar thing about this interview was that the only question he asked me was " HAVE YOU EVER HAD A JOB? " . He kept asking me that question and I kept answering him " NO . " The interview ended by him saying " YOU'VE GOT THE JOB . "

On july 7th, 1999 I STARTED MY FIRST JOB . As soon as my feet touched the floors of the bakery, I realized that this place wasn't for me. On the following week, I was taught how to make sandwiches, and how to work with the cash register. During this time my heart kept saying " I WANT TO GO HOME " , I wasn't adopted to that kind of atmosphere, it was too much for me to learn , I had no friends. It took me at least three full weeks to learn everything about the job. After a while I started getting used to this atmosphere that was bizzare at first. I made some friends and a month later I was used to this place and liked it. I was also happy with money I was making.

I was the youngest employee at that summer job. There are many advantages and many disadvantages when you're the youngest crew member in a job. The advantages for me was that there were some tasks that I wasn't assigned because I was too young, for instance I wasn't supposed to use the tomatoes machine because I was under age. This was good for me because I'll have less things to do during my shift. In addition I wasn't allowed to work more than 35 hours. The disadvantages for me was that the other employees kept picking on me. They kept telling me how SLOW I was. They kept making fun of me. They would make fun of the way I talk to the customers. They would make fun of the sandwiches that I made. They would make fun of the way I looked. They would make fun of EVERYTHING . You know why, I'll tell you why because I WAS THE YOUNGEST CREW MEMBER.

August 27th, 1999 was my last day. I had to quit the job because I had to get ready for school. This job taught me more than making sandwiches, and working at the cash register. It taught me how to be reponsible by being on time everyday and doing the task I was assigned. It taught me how to be mature by spending the money I was earning wisely. Now I really think it's about being mature and responsible.