Humans logo

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED ONE CHANCE

A STRUGGLE OF A YOUNG MAN

By Alvin Rivera Published 2 years ago 4 min read
1

Tim was a young man with no priorities, just surviving any way he could. He was sometimes unemployed but would take any job he could find to pay his bills. Tim worked as a punch press operator and in a machine shop for a short time. Nothing seemed to stick as a permanent job for him. Tim landed a job at a wire products company called Premier manufacturing, which made fan and air-conditioning covers out of wire. Tim worked as a trimmer of the fan cover ribs. On the cleaning and plating line for the fan covers. And on the plastic coating application line for the air-conditioner covers. Tim lasted five years there, but it was just a job, no chance for growth or advancement.

Tim was getting uninterested in his job and began drinking at the corner bar from where he worked called the Little Keg. He began to go there at lunch for a beer and a sandwich, then after work drinking until closing time of two in the morning. Tim started being late for work more and more often and missing days due to hangovers. Tim's boss had several warnings for him until he suspended him for thirty days.

After trying to get better at attendance, he was still being late or absent from work. Tim's boss, Pete, was very disappointed in him as Tim was a good worker when he did show up. The day came when enough was enough when Tim was called into Pete's office. Pete said, "Tim, you’re a good worker, but your attendance is unacceptable. You have been given several warnings with little or no improvement; I am sorry to say I have to let you go." Tim was heartbroken but knew he had it coming.

Tim started looking for work; he would go early in the morning until eleven or noon and then stop at the little keg for a beer and a steak sandwich for lunch. The job search went on for several months with no luck. Every day he would stop for his beer and sandwich at the Little Keg and would spend the rest of the day there. Tim would listen to old drunk guys, or anyone tell him their problems or life stories, and often they would buy him beers to keep him listening to them.

One day Sophie, the bar owner, and the daytime bartender, asked how the job search was going. Tim said, "it's not going very well; no one will hire me." Sophie asked, " Would you like to ask my husband if he can get you a job where he works?" Tim answered, "Sure, that would be great." in the next few days, Sophie had good news for Tim. My husband said to go and apply, and they will hire you. Tim was so excited and went the very next day.

Tim was hired and started in the sandblast department running four sandblast machines and a shot peen machine. He was also working in the caustic cleaning room. The sandblast and caustic cleaning area was dirty even though Tim swept and tried to keep it as clean as possible. After six months, Tim didn't want to stay in that area as a permanent job. He wanted to transfer to another department that was cleaner and to learn a skill for better pay.

One day the company, Arwood Corporation, posted a job opening for a Zyglo Inspector Trainee Position. Tim had no idea what kind of job it was, but it has to be better than sandblasting and caustic cleaning, he thought. So, Tim signed his name to the list to apply for the position. A week went by with no news of the Zyglo job that Tim had applied for, and Tim thought someone else got the position. Monday morning, after a lovely weekend that Tim had, Tim's supervisor came up to him and said, congratulations, you have been chosen for the Zyglo position. Tim was ecstatic and couldn't wait to learn Zyglo, but what is it? He asked the supervisor. The supervisor said it was a type of inspection.

Tim was introduced to Carl Miller, the Zyglo Department Supervisor. Carl explained that because the parts we manufacture are aerospace, we need to make sure they are qualified and meet customer specifications. Tim started out processing the parts for the inspector to inspect them under the supervision of a level II Zyglo inspector. Tim, for his position, was told to take a class for Zyglo Inspection Level I and study for his Zyglo Level I exam. Tim studied every night and passed his class and his exam. Tim wanted to inspect parts, so he took more classes to become a Zyglo inspection level II. Tim took and passed his exam and became a Zyglo Level II inspector. Now he was able to inspect parts.

Tim moved to California and became a supervisor of an inspection lab and later became a manager of an inspection lab doing Liquid Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (Zyglo) and Radiographic Inspection (Film and Digital). Tim liked helping others to grow and succeed in the Non-destructive field. He remembered the struggles in his life and that it only took someone to give him one chance, and he took advantage of that chance.

humanity
1

About the Creator

Alvin Rivera

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.