Jobs for a Day (or two)

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ALANM
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2019 2:57 pm
Location: North Queensland

Jobs for a Day (or two)

Post by ALANM » Sat May 23, 2020 4:15 pm

Jobs for a Day (or two)
(By Alan McCosker April 2019)

Said my Grandson to me, “ Come on now, Grandad,
I reckon you talk through your hat.
No-one could have had all the jobs that you’ve had,
in one lifetime; you’d need more than that “.

To that I replied, “Lad, believe what I say “
‘cos it’s fair dinkum it’s all really true,
you see, some of my jobs lasted only one day
and quite a few, only lasted just two.

I left school at fifteen and got my first job
to offside for a local stonemason,
placed headstones on the dead for that miserly sod,
sacked without pay, after only three weeks on.

Still only fifteen, an apprenticeship gained
saw me trainin’ to be a new plumber,
for a month all I did was clean out blocked drains,
I gave it a miss, that job was a bummer.

Not long without work then I got a new job,
to be trained as a motor technician,
I washed cars for two months in that boring job,
the call of the road overrode that ambition.

That I couldn’t conform and be part of the plan
was criticised, by all and sundry,
so me and a mate jumped in his van
and drove off; clear ‘cross the country.

We got casual work, some here and some there,
all of which was simple hard labour
but it paid well and the hard work was fair,
I thought, this life could be one I could savour.

From Perth up the coast to work on a boat,
as a deck hand I just lasted a month.
Went out west with a brickie to offside in the heat,
just two months ‘fore I gave that the punt.

I once had a job to drive a flash truck,
delivered tyres, all ‘round the town
but when asked for my licence, I ran out of luck,
just sixteen, I couldn’t hold that job down.

Now all the above, cost little more than a year
but sorta set me a pattern to live by,
I always had work and never once did I fear
that jobs would become hard to come by.

I don’t think I was lazy, I just couldn’t commit
to just one job and the sameness it offered,
some times out of work, even though forced to sit,
I never once took the dole, although offered.

I once got a job making Holdens,
on the line I was issued a file
but after one day, filin’ x’s off high spots,
I gave back the file and ran for a mile.

In the city one time; in the media,
while sweepin’ a factory floor,
I saw an ad to sell ‘cyclopedia,
there could be no easier chore.

For a suit and some trainin’, I did outlay
a sum I could barely afford.
Then I only sold one, they wouldn’t pay,
to get paid I must sell nine more.

And I once got a job to drill holes in con-crete
had to drive job to job through the city,
each job always had urgency to complete,
when I failed they showed me no pity.

I’ve taught people to drive, prob’ly not very well,
I once boned out and trimmed Xmas Hams.
Cut seed potatoes, shucked out scallops as well,
more at home when I worked with my hands.

I’ve flown in and flown out of a mine site remote,
to drive giant mine trucks underground,
laid charges to bring ore down in the stope,
on a fourteen day seven go round.

I once wrestled a Panther, a thousand feet under
the ground, when flat backin’ for ore.
And I once had a ticket to work with gunpowder
chargin’ faces ’n’ long holes in ore.

Quite a bit of my life was spent in the country,
it’s out there I would always retreat,
when things would go sour for me in the city,
I’d go back workin’, ‘mongst the cattle and sheep.

I’ve held on for dear life in a careerin’ bull runner
weaved through ant hills at a breakneck pace,
grabbed angry bulls by the tail ’n’ tipped ‘em right over
five bucks a head was the contract price.

I’ve lived in the saddle in the stockcamps up north
chasin’ cattle as mad as march hares.
Followed big mobs of sheep, way down in the south,
bound for shearin’ as spring burst in the air.

I’ve crutched fly blown sheep with maggots in deep,
picked up wool from the shearin’ shed floor.
I’ve carted and stacked baled hay, for some weeks,
hand mixed concrete for a station shed floor.

In the forest on Tassy’s west coast, I’ve cut tracks,
been on night shift watchin’ rod mills roll ‘round.
Painted foul smellin’ sheep skins and hung ‘em on racks,
driven tractors to plough farmin’ ground.

I’ve seen the sparks fly, drivin’ steel for new fence
way up in the high basalt country.
Heard the Dingo’s sad call when patrollin’ the fence,
way out in the great channel country.

I’ve sold tyres to the trade in the tropical north,
that found I’d no skill in public relations,
though I gave it my best, for all it was worth,
as a salesman I was not a sensation.

So there you go Lad, there’s just some of the jobs
on a my list, took fifty years to compile,
if you’ve still got an ear, there’s still other jobs
not yet mentioned, so hang around for awhile.

What’s that you say, you’ve heard enough for one day
but it’s really fair dinkum, true blue
you see, some of my jobs lasted only one day
and quite a few, only lasted just two “.

r.magnay
Posts: 1402
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:41 pm
Location: Port Lincoln SA

Re: Jobs for a Day (or two)

Post by r.magnay » Tue Jun 02, 2020 5:28 pm

...yep, always something to do if you are prepared to have a go...
Ross

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Shelley Hansen
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 5:39 pm
Location: Maryborough, Queensland
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Re: Jobs for a Day (or two)

Post by Shelley Hansen » Mon Jun 15, 2020 1:34 pm

And then on the other hand, you used to get the bloke who worked all his life for the Railway, as did his dad and granddad before him. Not so common these days!
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

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