Sunday Musings

It was not exactly the best job I ever had, but I think I was happier there a greater percentage of the time than in any other job before or since.

Those old enough to remember Woolworth’s five-and-dime stores may also recall that there were Woolworth’s Garden Centers. I worked in one for a number of years before running off to the Marine Corps, which was certainly a more satisfying vocation, but I was almost never happy there. This may in fact have been by design, but that is for another musing.

I knew nothing about plants or gardening when I was hired but the boss insisted that I carry around the Sunset Garden Book and that when asked questions, I refer to it before running off for help. I still ran off for help a lot, but before long I knew a lot about plants and gardening. I still do.

I loved the place so much because of the people who came in to shop there. Exceptions can always be found, but for the most part, our customers were in their own version of a hobby shop, and like any ten year old looking at a model of a P51, the fifty, sixty and seventy-something’s eyes would glow as they looked at a bare-root rose or a six-pack of strawberries.

It wasn’t all fun and games. When the forklift was offline, a common occurrence, we had to unload sacks of fertilizer by hand, tossing them to each other like a smelly bucket brigade. I’m convinced all the practice tossing steer manure around prepared me for a management position in financial services. The garden center was definitely a two-shower per day job.

Most jobs allow and even require some professional distance between the shopkeeper and the customer. Not so at the garden center. These folks were in our store living part of their own personal dream, and when things were good they would share their passion. When they were not so good their pain was evident, and quite real. They needed help and came to us for advice and a cure.

I guess people are a bit different when they are immersed in whatever gives them joy and satisfaction. Who knows but it was fun being around them and being part of it. I still get that kind of satisfaction now, because I do have the opportunity to help Members of my credit union to reach their goals and live their dreams. Unfortunately these days, most are just struggling to get by.

I never did get the hang of that professional distance thing. I’ll be glad when things turn around and pick up again. I like the joy in their eyes and haven’t seen as much of it lately.