BEST JOB I EVER HAD

By Brenda Bowen Wright

            Well, let’s see. Which one would you guess I consider the best? I’ve had a lot of jobs, in fact I have worked non-stop for the last forty-nine years. 

I’ve been a nanny, worked in food preparation, and I was a hotel maid. I have been a forest firefighter, a sales clerk, a typist and key-tape operator and eventually became the supervisor in data entry. I’ve been a house painter and was an undercover narcotics agent for five years. The door-to door sales for windows and scientific furniture were my two absolute most hateful jobs. I cannot do cold-call selling. Period. I was a reservationist and trainer for the old Eastern Airlines, but they went bankrupt and laid me off so I sort of have to hate them. If we go by length of time at a position, then that would be a junior high school science teacher. I even had my own business making and selling recycled jewelry at fairs and festivals as a fun summer hobby-job..

            Just forget all those jobs. They were simply work--a way to earn money. None of those jobs were my best or most favorite. They, despite their differences, were either too stressful, too demoralizing, too all-consuming in their demands on my time, too dangerous, or the pay too ridiculous for someone to actually live on. 

I have always had the desire to support myself and being without children, why shouldn’t I work? I actually love many aspects of having a career. I wouldn’t not work. The growth that came from doing things extremely difficult and totally out of my comfort zone is invaluable. But, I have never found a job where I could say, “I can’t wait to get to work!” I have envied people who would say that, my husband being one of them.

So after thoughtful consideration, I have decided that my best job is always the one I am currently doing. Right now that means, hands down, the two jobs I currently have are the best.

At one job, I only work seven hours a week. I check-in and greet people at a WW studio, formerly known as Weight Watchers. 

            I do enjoy working for WW because I find great pleasure in greeting and hanging with people who I can help and who inspire me. And, I get to wear marvelous shoes. I have never had a job where I could wear gorgeous high heels. You girls know that after only a few hours your feet are dying. I work only two hours a shift then I go home and take the heels off. Plus, I can pair those great shoes with beautiful clothes because I also, for the first time, don’t have to worry about destroying clothing with the work I do. This job honestly feels like playing dress-up for a few hours, three times a week with my good friends. But even WW is not my number one best job ever because some days I really would rather do what I want instead of what I am obligated to do.

The best job for me, I am slowing realizing, is what I do in between the seven hours a week I spend in beautiful clothing. My favorite job is being a writer. 

At this point in my life, I finally have plenty of time to really write instead of scratching out something quickly in a few precious minutes snatched here and there. I have the pleasure of enough time to fully immerse myself deeply into a writers bubble with no interruptions.

It has only been for the last few months, but I now answer the what-do-you-do question with, “Oh, me? I’m a writer.” Last November I finished the first draft and am in the process of editing my young adult science fiction novel. Last December I sold a short story to a publisher for a horror anthology. 

Writing is still hard work and I am definitely out of my comfort zone. I wish sometimes, that I could allow myself to just read and lounge around all day, but I am loving the challenge. 

Best proof that writing is becoming my favorite job ever is that several times I have actually declined to go and do something fun because I would rather be at my desk writing.