—Popular, Part I—
It was the later ’90s, and I was eighteen years old.
I felt a bit empty inside during this part of my life.
That’s when I realized I had never really had more than one or two friends at any particular time in my life. Anybody else I would “Hang out” with was my brother “Tony’s” friends.
I was managing a Restaurant and going to College Full Time. I did Full Time to stay on Mom and Papa’s insurance.
And I felt empty inside.
I had a spot overlooking Smith Lake where I liked to take my car to sit and think. And at that spot, on a cool, clear night, listening to “Bob Segar,” I decided I was going to become popular. That’s right. It was time for me to come out of my shell and make my mark.
The first thing I did was start visiting local businesses to see where people my age worked. I also would have to ditch the “Manager” job.
At the Restaurant, I managed, I worked with two older ladies named “Janet” and “Eva.” And they weren’t gonna get me “Popular” any time soon.
“Eva” was a full-blooded German who married an American Soldier during World War II, came to America with him, and became a cook. She could be mean. Very mean. I was scared of her.
I got along with “Janet.”
“Eva and Janet” were a cooking team. They had cooked together for longer than I had been alive. That job would have to go, though.
I needed a job with other kids my age. Late teens to early twenties are the age groups I was looking for.
I found that most kids my age worked at one of those “Mart” stores.
You know, ends in “Mart.” Pick one. They’re all pretty much the same.
I put my application into the biggest store in the town I lived.
It was October, and they were gearing up for Christmas—and Christmas help— and I got the job.
I got hired on as Temporary Christmas Help.
Now, at this point in time, Cell Phones were not a “Thing” yet.
Beepers and Landlines are what all the guys used.
So, I got myself a beeper and had my own phone line installed in my bedroom.
Caller ID wasn’t free at that time, nor was it built into your landline phone. I paid two bucks extra a month for Caller ID and bought a Caller ID Box, and installed that in my bedroom.
Papa bought me a “Cool” clear phone that you could see through. The insides were all neon colored.
I then began my job, ready to come out of my shell, make friends, and become popular.
—More on this story later.
