Hooray, you get to hear me winge about working again! Ok, it's not that I am whining, but working full time is putting a serious damper on my social life. However, I am getting paid very well (expensive living = high wages) so I am trying to suck it up and work as much as I can.
Yes, I am back in the marine detailing business. It happened much the way I got my first job - I was minding my business, mucking around on the internet one morning when I noticed two guys washing the boat next to us in the marina. "Oh well, here it goes," I thought to myself. I got off the boat and walked over: "Hey! My name is Corie. I see you guys are doing marine detailing. Boats are my life. You probably don't need another marine detailer, do you?" (Or something to that effect.) "Actually, yes, we do need another worker. Do you have any experience polishing stainless?" "Do I?!..."
And I had a job. I must admit it was a huge relief to land a job in Sydney. It can be kind of an intimidating place to look for a job, everybody dressed so nice, walking so fast (they know where they are going) - the general hustle and bustle. Well, painlessly enough, I am now a part of it. Again.
My first day I worked with the owner of the company and another employee. First we washed a 100 foot power boat which took a few hours, but only because we busted ass to knock it out. These guys work hard and fast. I had almost forgotten how hard the work is...
Our second boat of the day was a little party-speed boat. My boss warned me before we got on the boat, "If you find any huge rolls of cash or little bags of cocaine, just ignore it." Sure thing, boss. We do a lot more interior detailing than I did on the Sunshine Coast, and I am finding it absolutely disgusting to clean cabins after angry, cocaine fueled sex. But everything has a price, and the price is right.
After I finished the cabins I moved on to the galley area. As I was polishing the floor my boss pointed out all the little dents in the boards. "You see those? Those are from the strippers wearing their high heels on the boat. I tell the owner, 'Mate, have the girls take off their heels before they get on the boat. And he says, 'but Mate, they look so good in heels."
Yes, working in Sydney is a bit different from working on the Sunny Coast. In spite of the hard work and long hours I am enjoying working here, and not just because it enables me to go out and have enough cash to do the things I want to do.
Yesterday we worked in North Sydney and I had to navigate public transportation to get there. On the bus we drove past the giant rubber duck in Darling Harbour, which I had wanted to check out. I got off at the central bus station where everybody was dashing about in their suits and ties and heels and fancy briefcases on their way to work in a high rise air conditioned office. I, on the other hand, was going to wash boats out in the hot sun all day, but even then I felt very frumpy with my boardies and backpack on.
I caught my second bus and took it to "The Spit" in North Sydney, crossing the harbor bridge along the way and catching a stunning view of the opera house in the morning light. I essentially got all my sight seeing done on my way to work. Most excellent. Of course I was way too exhausted to care about these thing on my way home, as two of us washed seven thirty to fifty-foot powerboats that day.
You see, it is quite a trade off, this work instead of play. Sooner or later we all have to work - I recognize that. But who knows the next time I will be here? Should I stick this job out as long as I can and pass up seeing more of Australia? Pass up fun activities and meeting cool people? I suppose I am looking for a balance (aren't we all?) between work and play, because at the moment it is all work and not much play because I am too tired at the end of the day!
I already know what you are going to say: dry your tears, princess... toughen up, buttercup. I appreciate the sympathy, really. But don't feel too bad for me because this weekend the surf is supposed to be good and the weather nice.
No comments:
Post a Comment