Wednesday, August 17th....

Tomorrow, will be the 18th of August and back in 1977, I gradutaed from Basic Training at Ft Sill Oklahoma. Why I remember this date so well is...it was the day after Elvis Prestly died. At the airport I had picked up a Times magazine, and his picture was on the front cover. Over the years, I mentioned to people this fact, and most say the same thing...DAMN, you're old.

Having a job is a good thing, and for the last 3 to 4 months, I have been having a hard time keeping a job. I mean it takes me about 3 weeks to find a job, but I always get one. Like this one I'm presently doing. I work in the Food Service Industry, I'm a cook...well really, I can do anything that's in a restaurant, in a kitchen, or even behind the counter. Thats includes manning the cash register, but I don't like handling money and THEN working with food, that shits nasty. But not at this job, I'm strictly behind the counter making sandwiches. I enjoy doing what I do, but I have major complaints and its not with customers...its coworkers.

Why is it that every time when I start a new job, people of Latin decent, and I don't mean Pueto Ricans, they ask me where I'm from. I know what the deal is though. Most employers only hire people who are in this country illegally, so when they see me, the think one or two things. I'm from Africa, or I'm from a Latin Country. This shit also drives me bonkers. There are some other things that are going on at work too.

The guy who is training me, he's a nice guy and all, but he is VERY stressed out from this job, or the job that he has to do. He tells me that I will see, that they are going to try and work me like a Mexican. I don't mind the hustle and bustle of the job, it makes the time go by very quickly, next thing I know, its time to clock out. But this guy, he is afraid that after Tuesday, he will not be working there any more, because I'm his replacement. I tried talking with him, tell him that the only thing that he has control over is his actions, and stop letting people control his actions. But he won't take my advice, so I wash my hands of it.