My Spectacular Odd Job: Working for the Local A&W

My very first job was working for the local A&W restaurant in my small hometown of Kamloops, British Columbia. I remember how excited I was telling my parents that I would be working five days a week in the kitchen of this popular eatery.

On my very first day of work I managed to break three A&W mugs and spilled a pail of sliced pickles all over the kitchen floor. I felt like an awkward, gangly fool -- a feeling that wasn't made any better when my manager, in the hopes of keeping me from causing another disaster, assigned me the task of chopping onions.