Not One Mention of Quitting

We worked until 4:30 last night and I didn’t write¹. Rob asked Jeff (the American in charge of the American crew²) how close he is to being fired and the answer was “close.”³ Well I think I’ll do the same tomorrow.⁴ I’ve decided I want to keep this job, if for nothing else the money. I’ve never had that much money before.⁵ Also I’ve noticed an increase in my muscle tone.⁶ Between that and my not shaving I’m beginning to look like some else.⁷

– 14 June 90 (Day 14)

1. I still can’t believe how well I was keeping track of time. When the day ends at 4:30am what day exactly am I writing about?
2. Jeff’s title (rank?) was the Deck Bosun (or Boatswain if you’re fancy). Jeff struck me as a dull person who worked hard and outlasted other crew members to raise to his level of medium responsibility. He was a man of few words and probably didn’t enjoy all of the smart ass college kids who he had to teach how to mop the floor correctly. The Fish Master found the fish and was really in charge of everything. The ship’s Captain ran the boat and went were the the Fish Master needed him to go to catch fish, Jeff worked for the Captain and we worked for Jeff. Jeff was an idiot. (But we were the idiots who worked for him so…)
3. I’m convinced they told all of the college kids they might get fired because 1)They thought it would motivate us somehow and 2) they might actually replace us if someone with any experience wanted the job
4. I’ve no idea if I followed up on this, but I can tell you that I was not fired
5. The amount of money we were looking at for the summer was probably about $10,000 – which adjusted for inflation might be around $22,000 for 90 days of work. Thinking about the money was the only real way to get through the day.
6. Not surprising since I went from attending classes and watching television to actually doing work every day.
7. Who was I starting to look like? Glad you asked. Imagine Alan Ruck trying to grow a beard in Young Guns II. (for everyone coming here for obscure early 90’s movie references – you’re welcome.)

We didn’t catch enough fish so basically we got the day off.¹ More sleep makes a person really appreciate life.² I’ve got myself hooked³ on the idea of going to Los Angeles at the end of the summer. I think I’ll tell Jim, but not Kira⁴ and I’ll surprise her. I’ll surprise Laura too. I suppose its a waste of about $1000⁵, but I think it will be worth it. Besides I have to straighten some stuff out with USC⁶, I’ll probably go home until X-mas or maybe I’ll go to New Mexico and see if Tech will have me back⁷.

– 15 June 90 (Day 15)

1. We probably still had to do things like sweep and mop or empty garbage, but those jobs didn’t usually take too long. Not working for 12-18 hours felt great.
2. Words to live by.
3. “hooked,” get it? What this journal needed from the beginning was more unintentional fishing puns.
4. Kira mention eight.
5. I’m not sure where this estimate came from, but maybe I was factoring in the flight to Tokyo as well? I don’t know. Either way my thinking of it as a “waste” says something that is still true about my relationship with money. I don’t like to spend it.
6. “straighten some stuff out” is short hand for let them know I am not returning in the fall.
7. In the end I returned to the college where I went my freshman year in New Mexico. It all worked out, but a straight path probably would have been better.

After this there are no journal entries until June 24th.