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First Jobs Confession: I Was A Former Company Custodian

It was so many years ago, but left an indelible impression on me

If I Ain't Readin'
5 min readMar 21, 2023
Photo by cottonbro studio

A local factory hired me on September 11, 2001, as a company custodian through a temp agency. I wrote a tiny bit about this in Déjà vu, Is a Gate in 2021. I purposely omitted the down and dirty reality of being a custodian, but I am here to share why it was one of the most memorable jobs I’ve had as a 19-year-old.

Cleaning up is more than just about having the right wipes and commercial bleach. You also work as a team when you are a company custodian. When you are 19 and surrounded by 50-year-old women who are there to work and catcall the men, you have entered a brand-new world that could be filled with more than smeared mirrors.

When I took the job, I was still deciding if I wanted finally to go to college or just work some more. My nursing assistant summer program was up and I needed money. I still lived with dad but his rules were: college or work.

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If I Ain't Readin'
If I Ain't Readin'

Written by If I Ain't Readin'

Erica is an essayist and poet who enjoys reading, creating content, and helping others find their purpose too. Above all, she loves to read🖤

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