I Used to do That for a Living; Landing and Leaving 108 Jobs Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2 | Page 23

I Used to do that for a Living

was born Cecil Clarence Jackson but was never
one for allowing anybody else to tell him what
to do, or what name to answer to. Since the repetition of the term “my father” could become tedious, I shall refer to him by his name.
Jack was my hero when I was boy, back
when my notion of dignity was defined mainly
in terms of standing up to authority, and nobility
was synonymous with self-sacrifice. Every bit of
Jack’s meager pay went to the care of his family,
though his and my mother’s inability to manage
even very small amounts of money ensured that
we were always worse off than was strictly necessary. She did not work outside the home, and
barely worked inside it. Jack was as hardworking
as could be, but his lifelong practice was never to
give ‘ary a boss a chance to fire him. Jack’s motto
was “I don’t take no chewing.” At the first sign
of an affront, which included any form of reprimand or correction, he quit. Never mind the wife
and five kids depending on him.
Jack was a quitter, to be sure, but nobody
could say he was lazy. Though he did not exert himself around the house any more than my
mother did. Some people who work very hard at
their jobs want no part of housework or yard work.
Laziness is a vice, but its opposite is not a
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