Let's see, where was I? This post will probably be the second to last post on jobs. I'm to the point where my bestie of years, Seth, came to get me to live in Fountain. Jobless. I welcomed any opportunity. Very briefly, I worked three scattered days for a crotchety old farmer on his land. I shoveled fertilizer from a hopper to a truck (I think) which took about four hours of nonstop work. And on two separate occasions I mowed his huge lawn. He didn't think I mowed close enough to his trees, he paid me with out of town checks, and he had no sense of humor. I'm glad I found work as a server at Los Gables, a little Mexican joint right on Highway 52.
The owner is a sweet widow who gave me an opportunity that I was very grateful for. At no point did I take advantage of her or her business, and I was very proud of that. It didn't last long though because I was much more comfortable behind the scenes in a kitchen, so when I was hired on at The Bent Wrench, I soon parted ways and ended my short career as a server. I wrote about the Wrench in a previous post which I highlighted above.
So, that brings me to another chance to cook in the Tourist town of Lanesboro. Again, if you've never been there, please go, you won't regret spending a weekend there.
I had been out of work for a month or so when my mom and a friend came down for a visit. This is after being let go from the Bent Wrench for reasons unknown, but this time I was eligible for unemployment because they determined I was fired for no reason. I have my doubts about that determination, but I was happy to be receiving some money.
Anyhow, my mom and I decided to go on a tandem bike ride down to the quarry in Lanesboro to look for agates. After that we went for an early dinner at The Riverside on the Root, a place I'd had in mind as somewhere I'd like to work.
Before we were even seated, the owner came over and struck up a conversation. He mentioned they were struggling to find help, I mentioned I needed work. And boom goes the dynamite. He asked me to come by in a few days to chat with the head chef and the other owner.
Sitting right beside the bike trail, Highway 8, and the Root river, The Riverside was a dual operation. Renting tubes, kayaks, and canoes, while running an adjacent restaurant. All of which took place during only three busy seasons. Yes, a seasonal job!
I nailed the interview. I left out all of the parts that dealt with my heavy addiction to methamphetamine and my all night delivery service so as not to scare them. One of my very best friends in the world Curt had worked there for years, but at that point, I'm not sure if he had caught on to my extracurricular activities.
I worked outside on two large grills flipping steaks and fish on the weekends. And during the week I was inside sweating and swearing, and barely holding my shit together.
At one point during the season, I lost both of my contact lenses and could no longer see tickets. That was just part of what made me, in hindsight, fairly useless as a line cook in a busy restaurant. I never took a thing from them but I also didn't add much to the fray. I would love the opportunity to work there again as a sober man. I think I would do well.
I only remember one whole day out of the nine months that I didn't have a loaded meth pipe in my pocket. I took frequent bathroom breaks to smoke. It was pretty pathetic.
I was laid off in early October when the tourists packed their spandex and helmets and headed out of town for winter. That's when I went on unemployment and was able to fully devote myself to the job that had been calling to me for years: Drug dealer. Again. And less than three months later I was arrested at the Super 8 Motel in SW Rochester with 52 grams of meth and a plethora of paraphernalia.
I believe you know how the story goes after that. The next post will deal with the three jobs I held during my 15 month stay in prison:
1. Underpants crotch seamster
2. B House Swamper
3. C.D. building cleaner.
The owner is a sweet widow who gave me an opportunity that I was very grateful for. At no point did I take advantage of her or her business, and I was very proud of that. It didn't last long though because I was much more comfortable behind the scenes in a kitchen, so when I was hired on at The Bent Wrench, I soon parted ways and ended my short career as a server. I wrote about the Wrench in a previous post which I highlighted above.
So, that brings me to another chance to cook in the Tourist town of Lanesboro. Again, if you've never been there, please go, you won't regret spending a weekend there.
I had been out of work for a month or so when my mom and a friend came down for a visit. This is after being let go from the Bent Wrench for reasons unknown, but this time I was eligible for unemployment because they determined I was fired for no reason. I have my doubts about that determination, but I was happy to be receiving some money.
Anyhow, my mom and I decided to go on a tandem bike ride down to the quarry in Lanesboro to look for agates. After that we went for an early dinner at The Riverside on the Root, a place I'd had in mind as somewhere I'd like to work.
Before we were even seated, the owner came over and struck up a conversation. He mentioned they were struggling to find help, I mentioned I needed work. And boom goes the dynamite. He asked me to come by in a few days to chat with the head chef and the other owner.
Sitting right beside the bike trail, Highway 8, and the Root river, The Riverside was a dual operation. Renting tubes, kayaks, and canoes, while running an adjacent restaurant. All of which took place during only three busy seasons. Yes, a seasonal job!
I nailed the interview. I left out all of the parts that dealt with my heavy addiction to methamphetamine and my all night delivery service so as not to scare them. One of my very best friends in the world Curt had worked there for years, but at that point, I'm not sure if he had caught on to my extracurricular activities.
I worked outside on two large grills flipping steaks and fish on the weekends. And during the week I was inside sweating and swearing, and barely holding my shit together.
At one point during the season, I lost both of my contact lenses and could no longer see tickets. That was just part of what made me, in hindsight, fairly useless as a line cook in a busy restaurant. I never took a thing from them but I also didn't add much to the fray. I would love the opportunity to work there again as a sober man. I think I would do well.
I only remember one whole day out of the nine months that I didn't have a loaded meth pipe in my pocket. I took frequent bathroom breaks to smoke. It was pretty pathetic.
I was laid off in early October when the tourists packed their spandex and helmets and headed out of town for winter. That's when I went on unemployment and was able to fully devote myself to the job that had been calling to me for years: Drug dealer. Again. And less than three months later I was arrested at the Super 8 Motel in SW Rochester with 52 grams of meth and a plethora of paraphernalia.
I believe you know how the story goes after that. The next post will deal with the three jobs I held during my 15 month stay in prison:
1. Underpants crotch seamster
2. B House Swamper
3. C.D. building cleaner.
