So our oldest son has been on a search for a job. He has looked on line, in person, and by word of mouth. About two months ago, when he returned from the North, he placed applications in at all the big manufacturers in our area. Abbott, Frito Lay, Daisy, National Vitamin, The Egg Farm, Pinal Energy, ETC. No calls, No Emails. Nada. He accepts a job at the local pizza place. He works maybe 20 hours per week. This is middle of the road at best. They will not give him more hours. He is trudging along. Unable to full fill his dreams. Simple dreams. You know get a vehicle, move out. This is our goal. MOVE OUT. He provided a resume, a nice reference letter, and a fabulous referral from family friends who are employed at these plants. So he was just trudging along.
Until last week he gets a call from the Egg Farm. They called and left a message. He could not make it out so I listened. I heard a man's voice and could only make out the Egg Farm. He spoke in such broken English it was impossible to understand. Even without knowing fully what the man said I knew he had to call. Hopefully he would get an English speaking person. Nope its the same man. They wanted to meet with him. So we went. Yes Our Oldest has a drivers license, and yes he can drive. But no we are not comfortable allowing him to drive, and no my husband will not let him use our vehicles. Anyway. To not cause any sort of disagreement I drive him to Hickman's Farms. It is almost 40 minutes away. I thought it was closer. He has his interview and they tell him they will call with drug screen appointment and orientation meeting.
He waits and waits. Another week goes by and I tell him to call. Years ago that was the practice. You did something and then you followed up. Not in today's day and age. So he calls and the man, still not sure if he is Miguel or Manny, and he is told to go to have a urine drug screening at the lab the next day. Well in order to have any tests you must show ID. You think he has his, nope. He left his wallet at his girlfriend's parents house. So, yes I am grumpy but tell him I will drive him back out to the REZ to get it. Oh no the girlfriend has a meeting at the high school at 10 so we can meet her there. Great. We get it and then go to the lab. Do you think the receptionist knows what he is talking about when he tells her he is there for a drug screen. Oh she will call. So there we are waiting and she doesn't call. So I stand up and ask should he call his contact. Oh no I'll call she says. We hear her call and leave a message. Did she really think we were just going to sit there and wait. I send him outside to call his contact, Miguel or Manny. Miguel or Manny will fax in the authorization and order. He also has no idea who the receptionist left a message with. He walks back in and before he can sit down the papers come over. She said oh thats funny they are from Miguel I don't work with him only Shirley. Who is Shirley. He goes in the back leaves his sample and we leave. He gets a call from Miguel, glad we cleared that up, telling him that the girls who handle the orientation and paperwork will call him and set up an appointment.
Around noon he gets a call from the paperwork people. Can you go to Buckeye for orientation tomorrow, they really want to get you started. He asks me and I say sure. Not really sure how I'm going to pull that off. Getting him to Buckeye and back, and getting myself to work on time. When he was talking to Miguel last week orientation was from 8 to 5. No way I was going to miss work. Buckeye is about 2 hours from our house. It would not be cost or time effective if I drove and dropped him off and someone else went to pick him up. So I called Amanda, my fill in at work, her number is disconnected. I called Barbara, the morning person at work, and she gives me the same number. My next recourse was to ask Barbara if she would stay late. She agrees. I tell her it will only be a about 4 hours. After She agrees I call my supervisor and she agrees. Then My Oldest tells me it is only until 2. Great this will only push me a couple hours late for work.
So I am sitting at McDonald's inside Walmart surfing the net. This, I hope, will not be a wasted day. This job will pay more with increase options. It has benefits after 90 days. They also offer 40 plus hours per week. My friend's husband has worked with them for over a decade. He thinks the employees are treated fairly. When My Oldest lived in the north he worked at the pig farm. He can do this. I don't know how else he will survive on his own making only minimum wage.
