1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Strangest job you've ever had

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Angola!, Aug 28, 2007.

  1. Angola!

    Angola! Guest

    TP recommended a thread on this recently.

    So, what is the strangest job you've had in your lifetime?

    I was a grave digger for a summer.
    The best story I have from that summer (and I have many) must be predicated by this: The cemetery we ran had an underground spring and caused flooding in the cement boxes that coffins are now placed in underground.
    So, after a big funeral with lots of people, we lower the casket and the family throws some dirt in and leaves. We wait about 20 minutes and fill in the rest of the hole. My co-worker gets the backhoe and lifts up the top of the cement box to put on top of the casket.
    The only problem is, there is now water in the bottom of the cement box - of course the cement box is designed to keep water out.
    So, he puts the lid on and it doesn't go flush because of the water. His bright idea is for me to jump into the hole and try and jump up and down on the lid to see if I can get it to go flush.
    I follow through on his idea and leap into the hole and then start jumping up and down on top of the cement lid.
    Now, the problem with co-worker's logic is this: I only weighed about 140 pounds at the time and there was no way I was stronger than that water. Plus, I am 6-5, so, as deep as that hole was, my upper body stuck out of it.
    Well, apparently - we heard from the city (which ran the cemetery) later - that the family decided to pull back by the cemetery to see their family member one last time, only to see me leaping up and down on top of what they assumed was their loved one's casket.
    Needless to say, my co-worker got written up for that idea.
    Last thing I will say about working in a cemetery: The best days were funeral days. All you had to do was dig the hole, fill it back in and hang out.
    Good times.

    Anyone else have any good stories to share about strange jobs they have had?
     
  2. spnited

    spnited Active Member

    Forget strange jobs, 'gola. Update the sig
    8 GAMES BEHIND THE RED SOX!
     
  3. Smallpotatoes

    Smallpotatoes Well-Known Member

    For a week on a semester break, I had a temp job where I had to put white stickers on the holes on three-hole punch paper.
    On the second day, a new person came in and after a half-hour she asked if that was all we did for eight hours. We said yes and she left.
     
  4. ArnoldBabar

    ArnoldBabar Active Member

    I sold counterfeit perfume door-to-door. Lasted almost a week.
     
  5. Angola!

    Angola! Guest

    Sounds like the telemarketing job I held for about 7 hours one summer.
     
  6. MertWindu

    MertWindu Active Member

    This isn't too weird, but it's my weirdest. I was an "Entertainment Ambassador" at the movie theater for a few months. Basically, they wanted someone with personality and speaking skills to go in front of sold-out crowds on Friday and Saturday nights and run through a few things, such as "please turn off your cellphones," "this theater is equipped with a system to aid the hearing-impaired, involving an led screen behind you that flashes captions for the movie. Don't be alarmed." After I got comfortable, I started throwing in things like, "now please enjoy The Bourne Identity, starring Matt Damon and Franke Potente."

    Thought I'd get booed, have stuff thrown at me, and heckled. Most of the time, I actually got a round of applause. Always weird, but kinda cool too.
     
  7. Chi City 81

    Chi City 81 Guest

    How did you fool anyone into thinking you had personality and speaking skills?
     
  8. buckweaver

    buckweaver Active Member

    I sold a lot of crap door-to-door, too. It was a scam (people pay $25 for $300 worth of coupons to a well-known chain restaurant that rhymes with Slapplebees), but the suckers loved it and I made a lot of money on commission (close to $1,000 my first week). Of course, I lasted about two weeks.
     
  9. MertWindu

    MertWindu Active Member

    By blowing the manager. I mean...
     
  10. Angola!

    Angola! Guest

    Why'd you only last two weeks? Especially if you made so much coin initially.
     
  11. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    I never had it but that Minnesota cop who had to sit in a toilet stall at the airport waiting for someone to tap their feet must have some stories to tell.
     
  12. buckweaver

    buckweaver Active Member

    Because I was 20, and lazy. Also, because the "owner" was a 24-year-old quarter-millionaire who allegedly made his money through the same company and who demanded that we wear shirts and ties and walk door to door in at least three southeast Texas neighborhoods every day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. I stopped believing in the scam after a week, and quit after two.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page