Mattie's First Job

I can't help it. I tend to favor certain relatives, and in this case, one of my favorite nephews is Mattie. Perhaps it's the ease at which we talk with each other. Perhaps it's the fact that I've known this boy since he was a wee little three month old, wriggling in my arms as I held him with fear of dropping him on the tiled floor of Tita V's house in Guam. Perhaps it's the fond memory of giving him (and his kuya) baths when he was four years old, aghast at the dirt that the white wash cloth took off his scrawny little arms. Perhaps it's the endearment of him never failing to give me some kind of affection every time we meet.

So when Five-Star Scotty was looking for help on the job, I thought of Mattie. Because just last week Mattie had mentioned that he was looking for one. We spoke briefly on the phone, making sure to tell him that the job entails hard manual labor, the kind where he'll need liquids to replenish the water his body would sweat, where he'll sustain scrapes from thorny bushes, where he'll feel like limp spaghetti at the end of the day.

MATTIE: Yes I am! When would I start? Like if I wanted to try it out for a week.

Me: Monday.

MATTIE: Would I still get paid if it doesn't really work out, but I do adequate work? Sorry if I'm overstepping any work boundaries or anything!

Me: No, we're going to make you work for free! Of course you'll get paid!

MATTIE: I'm just making sure! Because I know if I worked at like Jamba Juice or something they'd like deduct some of my pay for training! But cool beans!

Me: You work, you get paid.

MATTIE: I'll only quit if I can no longer feel my limbs!

Me: Here's what to expect:

1. You'll be working outdoors doing the following:
2. Picking up scrap wood/cleaning up the job site...
3. Clearing big bushes on properties, using hand saw, shovel, etc...
4. Going to the dumb with Uncle Five-Star...
5. You'll be sweeping up/ scrapping out the house project, and
6. moving material in/out of house projects.

       It ain't easy! Wear shoes you don't mind 
       getting dirty. Wear sturdy long sleeved shirt 
       when you're cutting brush on the properties 
       (see #3). We'll provide gloves and face 
       mask. I hope I'm not scaring you. I normally 
       do this job, but I have a shoulder injury that 
       I'm trying to get healed. One thing's for sure, 
       you'll be one tough son-of-a-gun if you 
       decide to keep this job through the summer!

MATTIE: For some reason I imagined lifting giant metal containers. But this is stuff I do at the house sometimes! So I'm not too scared! And I know, that me why I'm taking the job hahaha!

Me: The containers are a totally different job. If I have a container order, I'll offer you a job too...

MATTIE: Well, at least I'll have enough money to buy a wheelchair if I get injured! Hahaha!

Me: No wheel chair, just band-aids.


Mattie showed up a little after 8AM. Soon afterwards, he started packing plywood. I hope he keeps the job. It'll be good for him physically. And, who knows, by the end of the summer, he just might become adept with the nail gun, and know the basics of building a structure the proper way.