Making a Comeback

One of my Facebook friends posted they wished “they could get their power” back. I know they were talking about their electricity, but I’m talking about my “human power” and wishing I could get mine back!

I think a lot of my power loss is due to thinking that the source, at least of the physical, was inexhaustible. I abused it, although not intentionally for sure. In the early 1980’s, when I was “plant manager” for a mattress company and was the only salaried employee, I had to stay at work until the “trucks were loaded” which essentially meant that after the hourly workers went home, it was just me loading those trucks. In the Summer of 1980 and 81, when records were broken for days over 100°, I stayed sometimes until 7 p.m. loading kings, queens, fills and twins until the bill of lading was filled. I was a youngster..but it took a toll

In 82′ through 84′, I worked at a different Mattress company in LaFayette and MADE mattresses. I was on “production” and had to make over forty mattresses a day to really make any money. I remember making sixty or seventy a day…even the huge king size all the way from quilting through sewing the edges and bagging them, by myself. I worked through breaks and lunch.. And went home and just lay in the bed many days. I was young, but it took its toll.

After that I had managed a Home health care store. Lots of deliveries if heavy hospital beds..up hills, up stairs…I decided I need to go into management, so in 1988 I talked my way into a job I wasn’t really qualified for and got it! For 11 years things were good! Then..the company was sold, took a year’s severance off and started from scratch again. It was 1999, and my power was getting low. Too many years eating wrong and overworking my body took their toll. Lack of health care, dental care…couldn’t afford it, didn’t do it… Heart attack #1.

Last 10 years before 2013 were a nightmare hodgepodge of high pressure jobs, with weirdo bosses and crappy nightime 12 hour shift jobs…of shift jobs 14 hours including the driving days, with younger know it all, but know nothing pipsqueak bosses and peers and parents who are sick and die, so that December 2013 brings heart attack #2, open heart, quadruple ruination, arrhythmia plagued end to youth.

Now you know why I’d like my power back…but as 72 comes Friday, I’m dang glad that I’ve got any power at all. I don’t want or need sympathy, some days I just want to be…just to be. My advice to young ‘uns now would be to take better care, be smarter, and don’t follow the weird but wonderful road I have traveled.