And The Summer Was Over

First Day on the Job

        As I came around a familiar corner, I turned to my dad who was driving and tried to convince him that I didn’t need a job. My hands were shaking and the sweat dripping through my new work shirt is not a good way to meet my new boss. I begged my dad to come in with me. I couldn’t face my boss alone. I was a nervous wreck. As I walked into the back of the clubhouse, it hit me. I was going to be a working man. I could spend the money I earned on whatever I wanted. All of a sudden I was excited to receive my first paycheck.

        In the back of the clubhouse I met a guy named Kyle. I wasn’t new to Haverhill Country Club because I golf there all the time, so I had a good idea of how things worked. Or at least I thought. The first thing Kyle had me do was go down to the range and pick up golf balls in the field. I was so excited. All I had to do was drive a golf cart around the field for a while. After three hours in the golf cart, I was debating about when to walk out. I was covered in sweat and my shorts were destroyed by grease stains. I went back up to the clubhouse to see all the other employees sitting on their phones doing nothing. I couldn’t say anything because I was the new guy and didn’t want to make enemies early.

        Part of my job was to clean members golf clubs and there was about twenty bags sitting there not being cleaned. Kyle told me to pick up a towel and start cleaning. As I cleaned clubs by myself, the other two claimed they were examining if I had what it takes. One after another they kept handing me bags and the bags weren’t easy to carry either. I just stuck my head down and brushed the clubs until you could eat off them. I couldn’t feel my hands after a while because of how hard I was scrubbing. When I finished cleaning clubs, my shift had come to an end.

        I was ready to go home with some money in my wallet. There was a total of two hundred and thirty-two dollars in the tip jar, so I was excited. There was a total of five people working so Kyle divided everything up evenly. I waited until he handed me my cut, and was shocked at what I just received. He handed me ten dollars. Not only that, but he handed me ten dollars all in one dollar bills. The other four guys, including Kyle, put fifty-five dollars each into their back pocket. They gave me ten dollars all in ones. I did all the work, and at the very least, aside from not getting the same amount of money as everybody else they could have given me a five and five ones. I walked out of the clubhouse furiously and went to the parking lot where my dad was waiting to drive me home. He had to stop for gas so I ran into the market to use the restroom. As I was heading out, a Hershey bar caught my eye.

        I then remembered I actually had money on me this time, and could buy it without my dad saying I can’t eat junk food. The feeling of buying your own food is one of the best feelings out there. To this day I’ve never tasted a better chocolate bar.