My First Job: An A&W carhop

My access to the real world came when I applied for my first job. I applied for my first job in the summer after my junior year of high school.  My sister Terry had applied at the A&W Drive In and was working there when I decided to find a job.  My senior year was coming up and I needed money for the fees that were required for Tigerettes.  I was required to earn my own money for just about everything that I needed and wanted.  I was a little nervous about applying for the job, but Terry put my fears to rest because she had told me that her employer was really nice.  I met with Leon Childs, the owner, for my interview. Terry had been an excellent employee so Mr. Childs, I think, thought that I would be a good hire.  My interview went off without a hitch. He told me that he would give me a call if a position opened up.  I didn't have to wait too long.  I remember being extremely excited when Mr. Childs called an asked if I could come to work. Yes, a job!  I found working to be very fun.  I not only earned money, but I also gained somewhat of a social life that I had never had before. I found it rewarding working with other people and getting to know them. 

I remember my first day on the job was thrilling, exciting, and very nerve wracking. I was sent into a back room and was asked to find a uniform that fit.  All of the new uniforms were either too small or too big, so I ended up wearing an old, outdated uniform, which made me feel uncomfortable. I looked different compared to all of the other girls, and I hated having to look different.  I was way too self conscience. I didn't like being the center of attention, and being dressed different made me stand out from the others.  I didn't like was what we had to wear while working:  skirts, with shirts tucked in.  The skirt was okay, but I never tucked in my shirts and still don't to this day. But, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? So I tucked my shirt in.  Later we were asked to wear dresses. Pretty hard to be modest in dresses, especially when you have to bend over to clean things up.

I was trained pretty fast on what to do (you had to be, that's why it's called "Fast Food").   There was a lot to remember.  I had to learn how to answer the order phone and write down the patrons orders. Memorizing the menu and the prices took some time.  My math skills of addition were put to use full time in this job, everything was done long hand, no computers to print out the orders.  I had to learn how to count back money while car hopping and do it quickly.  The hardest part of the job was carrying the trays out to the cars.  Sometimes the trays were loaded with  several rootbeer mugs, and  I'm talking about large mugs of rootbeer.  So to maneuver between the parked cars and carrying a loaded tray was very tricky.  One time I dropped a heavily loaded tray right on top of this guys car, spilling everything everywhere.  The guy wasn't too happy with me.  There were other occasions that I dumped the trays, but they got fewer and far between.  I learned the trick of carrying trays and developed some pretty strong muscles in my arms.  I was buff!!!  I also learned how to make the homemade rootbeer.  It was quite the process.  We used specially made syrup for A&W rootbeer, 50 lbs of sugar, water, and dry ice.  Then you had to mix the rootbeer using a special mixing sieve.  I also learned how to cook all of the menu items, even the hand dipped halibut fish and chips.  Yummm!  My favorite menu item was the rootbeer freezes.  I would bring home many for my dad, he loved them too. 

There were many opportunities to flirt with the cute guys.  Hey, that was half the fun of working! On one particular Saturday evening, a bunch of guys from Provo High came to A&W to hang out. All of the girls workers were freaking out because they were all cute.  Now I was dating Alan at the time, but that didn't mean I couldn't flirt, right?  After all, Alan was one of the biggest flirts I knew, and fairs fair. There was one particular boy from Provo that kept flirting with me, his name was Craig.  He kept after me and I was loving the attention. What girl wouldn't.  He had asked me a question that I will never forget.  He asked me if I was thorney (minus the "t").  Now being terribly naive, I thought that he was asking me if I wore horned-rimmed glasses, I didn't give him a straightforward answer.    I said, "Well, maybe I am, and maybe I'm not."   I didn't want him to know that I wore glasses.  Remember in my earlier posts,  it's  just not cool to wear glasses.  I was too embarrassed to talk to him after that.  I never went back outside.  It wasn't until a couple of years later that I found out what he was really talking about.  Man was I naive.  

There were many days that work was terribly busy.  Those days were dubbed, "Being Bombed."  After the summer was over, and I started back to my senior year of school, I had to quit work.  It was too hard asking for every weekend off for all the times that were required for Tigerettes.  I didn't really want to quit, I was having too much fun.  And I loved the money.  I laugh now when I realize how much I was  making an hour, $1.15, which wasn't too bad at the time.  

After my senior year of school I went back to A&W and asked Mr. Childs to hire me back.  He gave me the job and I put my whole heart into it.  I worked hard and earned the supervisor position.  My wage increased to a whooping $1.65 an hour.  Wow!  The supervisor position required you to be in charge of all the employees on your shift.  Also, you were required to count the money on the night shift and place it in the safe and lock up the building.  Many times Alan would come and visit me on my shift during my break.   I would give him my discount of half-price for the food, not taking any for myself.   He loved the Teen Burgers and I would make them extra special for him. Sometimes he would show up close to closing time and wait for me, I would call home telling my folks that I had a ride and that they wouldn't need to pick me up.  I looked forward to those times.  

Looking back now on my experience of working at A &W, I have fond memories.  I wish that I hadn't quit working before I got married.  I could have worked and been married at the same time, but something in my brain said, "You're getting married, you don't need to work."  How dumb was that?  I could have contributed to the family income, a small amount, but every little bit helps.  

The above photo of the drive-in is not where I worked, it's just a picture of an A&W.  The A&W I worked at is  in Provo where the Stevenettes Ice Cream Shop is now located. The photo of the logo on the can is what the A&W logo looked like when I worked there.  It has changed a bit since, but the orange and brown logo is what I remember.