Work

To say I was a bit rusty in the W-2, clock-punching-work-world would be generous.

For the past 13+ years I had no proper job.  I filled my days with kid care; lacing in building and landscaping projects between diapers and driving.  I was 12 years old when I got my first W-2 job dishwashing at Swope, so this was the longest I’d ever been ‘unemployed’ since birth.

Fortunately I knew where I wanted to work as soon as Kate suggested it.  Unfortunately, I had zero relevant experience.  And being green as Mountain Dew, I wasn’t exactly sure they’d hire me.

But I needed this job.  The COVID period was harder on me than I’d realized.  The walls had been closing in.  I’d been waltzing myself into a good-old depression with my gelatinous partner Adipose circling me like a hula-hoop.

I didn’t even notice.

You’d have thought that transitioning beyond the last hole in my belt to draw string pants would have been enough of a warning.  But it was worse.  I suddenly realized I was making serious old-man noises tying my shoes, going up stairs, and just sitting down.  That’s likely a fatal trajectory when you’re in your mid-50’s.

After 3 separate interviews with 4 mates and the Captain, I got what really is a dream job: Crew member at Trader Joe’s!

(Nursing?!  Another story there.)

The problem remained – I knew nothing.  I’d never run a cash register (I always bagged my own groceries – so I had that going for me). I might have known where 100 of the 6,000 products were.  I had no idea of how any of it flowed or even the hours involved.

And all the while trying to learn all and the names of nearly 100 coworkers.  Seriously, for the first 3 months, after 8 hours, I was flopping-on the-couch, feet up, mind-numbingly, oh-that-beer-is-so-good exhausted.

You can imagine, I was also a bit of a disaster to start.

But it was Trader Joe’s.

I wrote on the job application that I’d never been to a business that – across a dozen states – had such consistently good, kind people.  I was being honest.

I really hoped I was right – that this was the culture of the entire organization.

I was.  The front of the house is just as fun as the back of the house.  The crew, mate’s and captain are all interesting, kind, smart, and hard working.  For me, they’ve nailed the right working environment.

Being completely green wasn’t a problem, everyone was just great about it.  Never any snark, snapping, grumpiness or anything.  Just good people being helpful and decent; all of them, always.  It’s such a great vibe they’ve got going on.

Now 6 months on, as I’m learning more, it’s only gotten better.  I’m often up at 2:45 to get ready for work and am excited to punch in at 4:00.  Just happy to jump into something new, push hard, and listen to good music punctuated by folks laughing.

Learning new things when you feel supported and part of a team is just better, faster, and easier.  When everyone is pushing in the same direction, you really can move mountains and that feels amazing.

Paul Farmer (Partners in Health) said something to the effect ‘Doing hard things with friends brings the greatest achievements.’  I’d add: it yields the most satisfying and longest lasting memories as well.

That’s what this job feels like.

And they pay you for it; unlike the therapist and bypass surgery I was headed for.

L. Jurgen Atema

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