For those of you who never would have guessed it of me, as I don't exactly look the type, I once believed that a career in the trades was the way to economic security, and on top of that, was a way to ensure that I knew how to fix the fershluggin' house when it broke, when the time came that I lived in something other than a crap apartment. Yes, I was a tin-knocker.
For those of you who don't know, a tin-knocker is a sheet metal mechanic, or, in my case, a sheet-metal mechanic apprentice, engaged in the hand-manufacture of heating and air conditioning ductwork. It is a tough job. I learned much from it, and while I don't think of those days much anymore, I treasure those memories..both of the job, and of myself.
At the time this was all going down, it was the late 80's, and I was all of 18 years old, and a tiny little thing to boot. Full of piss, vinegar, and an 'I can fucking *do* this--bring it on!' attitude, however.
Searching through the mental Rolodex cards of memory, what stands out, is that my first day of construction work happened to coincide with the first day of school, for my younger friends. It struck me at the time just how weird it was for me to be going to work on one end of town, while seeing some of my friends going to school on the other end of town.
I remember a moment of regret, mixed with a moment of elation that I wouldn't be spending the day in a boring classroom, and a feeling that somehow, I was finally taking steps towards making it out of the crap apartment complex I called home at the time, and never ever look back.
It struck me as a little weird to be a girl and going to work in construction. It did. That said, I had won the job on my own merits and I was determined at the time upon a goal--that someday, although I didn't know when or how, I would have total economic security.
I am so grateful that my then-employer gave me the chance to do this job. I learned so much.
I'm pretty sure he thinks I didn't pay attention to what he taught me about construction, but I did. I learned about what goes where, and in more or less what configuration. I learned about the tools of the trade, and I learned PDQ that I absolutely detested a tool called the reciprocating saw, while having been set to cut hole after hole after hole in subfloor.
Then, promptly being set to arranging and trimming collars in those holes in the subfloor..and from there, installing and securing the ductwork proper. Some of the tools used in that trade were bigger than I was at the time--I was a tiny thing then, maybe 120 lbs max, and there I was, playing with reciprocating saws, bulldogs, tin snips, etc. It's a miracle I didn't kill myself or anyone else.
My downfall in this job, was something so frigging simple that it's laugh-able in this day and age of the Internet. Gloves. Back then, they just weren't to be had in my size, and there was no amount of padding or bandaids or anything else to make the damn work gloves fit me properly. At least nothing that I knew of at the time.
Alas, despite having a love, an appreciation, and a talent for the work, I had to quit, because my hands resembled hamburger. It was with a heavy heart and much regret that I quit. I cried as I quit. My employer was very understanding. We looked for smaller heavy-duty gloves. They just weren't to be had at the time, and he let me go.
I went on to other things, obviously, but a seed was planted. I love seeing, physically, how buildings go together, especially in the mechanical systems.
What did I learn through all this? I learned about holding my own. I learned that it's OK to pack it in when necessary. I learned about determination and grit.
Not bad qualities for an 18 yr old girl to have, all things considered. :)
..until next time....peace.
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