Life Reflections - Part two

So back to the story.....

Here I am, yet to be transported to yet another new town. We came up about a month prior to look for a house, and some jobs. I found a job, the first place I went into... so that was fun... or was it. Bob and I had to begin work a while before our actually move date. So we came up a few weeks later and stayed with Bob's friend, John. My lord, this was an adventure and a half. Small, cramped and HOT. I hate work at this point. HATE IT.... it was bordering unbearable. I worked up at Smitty's on Circle. I thought I would fit right in, as I worked at the one in Moose Jaw for several years. The owner of this franchise was a complete and utter(for a lack of better words) asshole. He fired anyone on a whim. We had complete new staff turn over EVERY single week. The Kitchen was ill ran and run down. Every health code violation known to man was sound and cemented in this kitchen... it was horrible! SERIOUS........ Never have I ever seen anything like this in my entire life. Smoking in the kitchen, grease build up so bad it was solid on the floors, old broken equipment.......It was horrible. I guess I was lucky and worked at one of the best Smitty's --- Bright clean, fun. The owner of this Circle Drive franchise, used back handed operations, cheating the systems every turn. I later found out from other Smitty's owners, how far he actually went in his operation scandals.

Anyways, I continued to go to work and pretend to be happy there. So I was off, back to Moose Jaw to pack and stuff for the move. The next couple of days were hell. I hate moving with a passion. I packed, and cleaned. Whilst my mom packed up everything in Lampman, I was packing in Moose Jaw and bob was working in Saskatoon. Bob came to Moose Jaw on the bus, we rented a U haul...drove it back to Lampman, loaded it up, Drove to Moose Jaw, loaded me up, then on to Saskatoon. It was quite the adventure. We moved in to our house, and life went on as usual. I going to work completely hating it. It got to a point where I had enough.

I was actually arrested by Management for theft!!!!! Ive never stolen anything in my life ( 7-11 when i was 5 does not count). When i started working there, I had to sign a paper that allowed work to deduct 5 bucks a shift from my paycheck for my staff meal. Ok, fine..fair enough. Then they shortened my shifts and did not get a half hour break... which BTW was illegal as I was still working 7 hours. So I asked them to stop taking the deduction of my cheque. They refused. So I thought I would just take my meal home after I was done work, after all I had paid for it right? I actually was taking food home from the buffet, was destined for the trash when it came back off the buffet. The next day I was in serious shit, as I was handcuffed for theft. That is when I found out that I was being watched by 27 cameras............. including the ones in the change rooms. I was not concerned, as I never felt like I was stealing... anyway the cops just laughed after they heard the story...... best of all the boss told the story. LOL. It was at this point that I had phoned the labor board about 8 times in a week. The boss was not liking that so he fired me. Distraught and confused, for I had not been fired before.....

I went home and applied for jobs on Saskatoonjobshop.ca Well the very next morning I was answering the phone. And it was Mohyla Institute. They wanted me to come down for an interview. I had no idea what this place was... but I went down... and talked to a nice lady named Karen. It was not even an interview..... she showed me around the kitchen and said she was going home, as she was done for the day ...lol I stayed and made supper. LOL. It was a student residence. Home to about 60 students in University. It was my job to cook for them....I enjoyed this job a lot. I went Tuesday threw Friday at 2 and cooked, cleaned left at 6:30 Then Sat and Sun I went in and cooked them brunch at at 10 and then supper for 5:30 then home at 6:30. Great shifts, I loved it, I loved the people... I love everything about it. And the students loved me. It was a decent job, sadly it paid shit. Min wage with no hope of an increase as they are non-profit. But I had no huge financial commitments, I did not need a lot of money.


One of my favorite parts of working with Mohyla, is that in the summer when students were no longer there, the place operated as a hostel for several groups. We'd had the Ukrainian Immersion Summer classes, the French Exchange Program and several other nationality programs come threw. I learned a ton and got cultured quick on many places from around the world this way.

Back at home, there was some issues, mom was leaving the household after a new man. Ditching Bob and I, taking Nikita and leaving. This came as a shock, no warning.. just were leaving this weekend. It then became apparent that she had been seeing this new man for quite some time. Bob and I agree that we should find an apartment, as we could not live on our own due to money. So we found a nice apartment over on Pendygrasse Rd. Work Continued as is.....

There was a summer French Exchange student that came threw, and she was the nicest lady every.. she was mid thirties...she was a bit slow mentally. We got to be decent friends. No one else really liked her in her group... in fact when they'd go out, they tell her all about the fun they are gonna have and tell her to go get ready... she'd go and get all spiffed up and ready to go out with her new "fiends" and then they would sneak out and leave her getting ready. It was heart retching. She and I were good friends for the few weeks she was down... and I'd have her come and help me in the kitchen and stuff. We got to talking and over the few weeks, she convinced me to go back to school and take my three year apprenticeship. I had lost sight of that up until she came into my life. I was so resistant to the idea, she went around the city in a taxi, gathered books and forms for me, called people and had them call me. This was AMAZING. Kind of a mentor in a way.
It was sad when she had to leave. But then again everyone I met there left. That's the way it was.

Back at home again..... Bob had started seeing a gal named Tristan. They worked together. They dated for a bit, then it was decided that she should come live with us. I had met her a few times before, she seemed like a cool chick. We seemed to hit it off right from the start. She and I being the same age level and all, the same goofy care free thinking..... We went and helped her pack and move in.... I like helping others move.. just not myself. I'm not sure how long it was but shortly there after it was decided that Tristan and Bob wanted a place of there own.... I think i smelled or something... it was weird... I asked no questions. It was handy, cuz she was not even fully unpacked yet. Bob and I were in a lease,.... he continued to pay is portion of the rent. As the lease came to a close, he was no longer liable to pay for 1/2 the rent and I could not afford the rent on my own... so I again moved back in with mommy in her new mans place. And Bob and Tristan moved back into the apartment that I and Bob shared. I pretty much lost contact with Bob and Tristan... we saw each other around town once in a while tho.

Back to work now.

So that year I got in and started my apprenticeship. I acquired even more confidence in my cooking skillz and gained new talents. That I expected more money from doing the work that I did. Realizing that a raise was out of the question, and when the board was approached about my increase they laughed and said they had been paying min wage for 20 years.. why change now. I started looking for other work. It was not long into the 2nd year of apprentice ship that my teacher hooked me up with this restaurant at Innovation Place Park. Boffins. I started part-time in the early mornings. Leaving at 1 to head to work at 2. Boffin's paid a whole 1.50 more than Moyhla that soon turned into me leaving Mohyla to work full time at Boffins.


This story ends roughly 2.25 years ago. Stay tuned for part three.