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    The Job
    The Job
    The Job
    Ebook121 pages1 hour

    The Job

    By Stephen Brandon

    ()

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    About this ebook

    You find the weirdest things at a estate and garage sales. Storage units also contain tidbits to tantalize your imagination. I like the old movies and sometime buy open box of VCR tapes. At other sales, boxes containing notebooks, diaries, and what an older person would consider a journals. It just goes to show that the good old days were just like the present, sometimes scarier, or more interesting for some.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStephen Brandon
    Release dateAug 18, 2018
    ISBN9780463298527
    The Job
    Author

    Stephen Brandon

    I've loved westerns and science fiction since I picked up my first book at the public library. I've been writing on my computer for years. I never planned on any of my stories being published, just to be read by myself, family, and friends. The base journal is on forty spreadsheets with links to about a thousand files of short one day paragraphs plus other stories. {My claim to fame, written by someone else. Thanks.} "As an earthbound retiree, Stephen writes mostly science fiction and short stories. He is a voracious reader and has written for a few years, publishing his stories on Smashwords."

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      Book preview

      The Job - Stephen Brandon

      The Job

      * * *

      By Stephen Brandon

      Copyright 2018 Stephen Brandon

      Smashwords Edition

      * * *

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      * * *

      Author's Note

      This book is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, incidents, and dialogue are from the authors imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or other persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Real and fictional locations are used for background only.

      * * *

      Table of Contents

      Preface

      Wood Shop

      The Shop

      The Warehouse

      A Date

      The WEEK

      Weekend

      Linda

      Denice

      Lidia

      Ann

      Matilda

      Wanda

      Li

      Beverly

      Mia

      Tiffany

      Mary

      Tina

      Jennifer

      Anita

      Wilma

      Ruth

      Terry

      June

      Kimberly

      Tanya

      Sung

      Lucy

      Glenda

      Sarah

      Heather

      Nicole

      Catherine

      Afterwards by Nicole

      * * *

      Preface

      You find the weirdest things at a estate sale. This wasn't even from a large estate, just what I would consider a middle class family that never threw anything away. They had three storage units. I bought one because I like the old movies. Then I found this notebook in a box mixed in with hundreds of old beta and VHF tapes. It just goes to show that the good old days were just like the present, sometimes scarier, or more varied for some. I was halfway shocked after the first three sections. I'd have never guessed that a company would do anything like what they did. After reading it, I typed it up on my computer, then changed all the names. That's because with everything computerized today, finding that group of names would cause problems for everyone involved, not to mention the company. Dates and the company name were also removed. Everything else is as it was written.

      * * *

      Wood shop

      The only reason I took wood shop was that I needed the credit to graduate. With the credit I could graduate mid year instead of end of year like everyone else. I figured that would give me a four month jump at getting a job. My dad agreed, but my mom thought I should go the full year.

      Mr Kincaid was a nice sort of guy until he started teaching. The second day he tore into John because he just tossed a measuring stick down on the bench. He called him everything but a good student without using one of the bad words that I'd learned from dad and his buddies at the union hall. The words rolled off his tongue like Shakespeare rolled off the tongue of Mrs Williams, the bitchy English teacher. I'd planned to coast to my credit, but now I wanted to know more.

      The first week we learned the hand tools and made various size and shape sanding blocks. We made the first from 2 inches of a 1x6x1/2. Using it we made and shaped the second. Each one was used to shape the next. With them lined up for inspection the next Wednesday, Mr K informed us that these were a set of tools. None of us understood until later in the year that with a shaped sanding block we could correct minor blemishes that we created in our wood work. That was when she walked in. For a woman my mom's age, she took my breath away. It was like looking a the center foldout with all her cloths on. I had a woody before Mr K opened his mouth and introduced her.

      She took her jacket off and the guys just stared. I realized my mouth was hanging open when Mr K announced that she would inspect our sanding blocks.

      That puzzled me. After the inspection she looked at us and then stated in a voice that would make a movie star, Mr. K invited me over because next year my company is opening a custom wood shop. I will be hiring from the graduating class, the best wood craftsmen. My shop will turn out custom built wood items. That means that you young men must learn everything you can. There will be no apprenticeship program. What you learn this year will make or break you on the job. Mr K is retiring from this job and will be available as a consultant paid for by you. He will also be involved in the hiring process. That means he will have a yes or no vote in the hiring of my new shop personnel. Your work this year will also be included in you job application. I'll see some of you after graduation. She then picked up her jacket and walked out.

      We all knew that she even made an impression on Mr. K when he uttered the word damn under his breath like it was a complement. He then continued, She still doesn't understand that it takes years to learn the secrets of wood. I was an apprentice for five years before I was allowed to display my finished work. The master invited in to evaluate me found three imperfections. Two were correctable. It was another year before I was evaluated again, and passed. I expect you boys to work hard and learn everything I can teach you this year. From his pocket he pulled what looked like a little branding iron. This is my master brand. In a few years, if those of you turn out quality wood craft, I will sponsor you into the guild. If you qualify, you will become a wood master. Most of todays disposable society doesn't appreciate quality, but there are still those that do. Those of you that learn will enjoy benefits and status beyond the common workman. Now put up your tools. Class dismissed.

      For the next six weeks, Mr K not only taught us how to use the hand tools the school furnished, but had us doing exercises that he claimed sharpened our eye hand coordination, and strengthened our bodies.

      None of us noticed the slow changes in our upper body, but some of the girls did. It wasn't until one of the football players jumped me because his girlfriend was paying me more attention than him. He hit me once before I picked up a pencil from a desk and inserted it into his shoulder. I was accused of using a knife until the police and doctors report was furnished to the school. The doctor reported that he'd never seen a pencil dislocate a shoulder joint and create that much damage. Mr K got my suspension lifted so I could return to school. He simply informed me that I had a weeks knowledge to make up.

      James told me that his buddies would rip my arms off because I'd disabled him. He'd never be able to throw football again. The first incident was when we were on the climbing ropes. Two football players tried to kick me off. I was still holding his shoe when he hit the floor. The Coach was screaming at the other player to stop when I caught his ankle. I looked up and simply asked him if he wanted to land on his buddy or the floor. I let go when he pissed his pants. I didn't know that a twenty foot fall could do so much damage, but then he didn't land on the mats.

      I could see the cop leaning up against the wall as my dad yelled at the principle. When he pulled out his notebook and started talking the principle just dropped into his seat, and put his head in his hands. There was an assembly called the next day and the principle, coach, a lawyer, and several cops talked to the whole school. Everyone knew it wasn't an accident, but the cop mentioned twice that if anymore accidents happened the persons starting it would be charged with felony assault. Tony had died during the night. The mood around the school was chilly. When I got to gym class after lunch, the coach informed me that my requirement to attend was fulfilled. I was to report to the principles office for a class reassignment. After a short talk the principle asked me what class I would like. I just said I liked the wood shop, so now I have two shop classes everyday.

      I didn't know but one guy in the other class. Mr K let them cluster around me for about five minutes before he said, "Students, you are wasting time, get back to your projects. Jim, my office now.

      Jim, you've crippled one and killed another football player. Watch your back away from school. Now, since you have two shop classes; you will complete two projects; one for each class. Both will be graded. I suggest something simple like a jewelry box for your mother. The book of jewelry boxes he handed me were anything but simple. The elegant designs carved into the outsides were

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