2002 thru 2004 Part 1

2002, 2003 and 2004 were very scary years for me. In 2002, I was laid off in March, worked a week shut down in June at Toshiba and did a 3 month school renovation from August until the end of October. Overall I worked just under 800 hours. I had run out of medical benefits, I was barely hanging on trying to pay my bills and cover expenses. Yet somehow that was also one of my favorite years. I had installed a pool anticipating working through the summer. The kids loved it! It was an especially hot summer, so they would invite friends up. I would supply watermelon, Kool-Aid and ice tea during the day; hot dogs and marshmallows on the campfire at night. I hosted a euchre tournament for about 30 people that I played with online. Everyone gave me money for food. What was supposed to be a long weekend party lasted 10 days. I would go to work everyday, but when I came home it was party time. I had so much energy then. In 2002, I had been appointed the UA Local 267 representative to the AFLCIO Chemung-Schuyler Central Labor Council. I had monthly meetings and was starting to get involved with politics and other causes. I know I managed it all, but I was incredibly busy even when not working. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In 2003, I decided if I was going to pay my bills I was going to have to hit the road. I took my first job at a Nuclear Power Plant, Nine Mile Point in Oswego, NY. I had gone to college at SUNY Oswego and still had many friends there. I hadn’t seen them in years however, but they welcomed me back with open arms. The G’s (Judy and Bob) found me a room to stay in over the Oswego Salmon Shop which is right on the river. It wasn’t as bad as it sounds. The room was clean, had three beds, fridge and microwave and its own bathroom. I did joke with the owner about wanting a Jacuzzi, so he offered to let me sit in the minnow tank. I declined his offer. The first week of your first Nuclear job is quite an experience. They are trying to process in hundreds of workers; get them trained and tested properly, and placed with crews. As it turned out my good friend Judy P was involved with the in-processing. Judy and I had gone to college together. I had even introduced her to her husband. She knew all my secrets and proceeded to pull a major prank on me. While in college I had been caught painting the Elk at the Elks Club on Bridge Street. Not bragging, but I am the only person every caught and convicted of this crime; but not the first or last to have done it. At the time I was worried, but after repainting the Elk I then started dating one of the bartenders and working at the Club. So 25 years later, I had to list it as one of my “crimes” on my personal history questionnaire. When I arrived, Judy arranged that another person would be handling my case. “Everything seems to be in order.” She said. “But what’s this about an Elk incident?” Everyone I spoke to for the next week from security to the medical personnel asked the same question. Judy had set me up! When I “failed” my psych test, (I don’t think like a white male) I thought it was another set up and braced myself for the same question. But no I really had the doctor baffled. He couldn’t understand how a woman could be divorced and happy being single. He kept trying to get me to say I was a lesbian. It was very bizarre, but somehow I convinced him I was sane and not a threat to the Nuclear world. During training I had befriended a guy from Local 13 in Rochester who was going to be working days while I was on nights. I agreed to share my room. Great idea! He loved to cook and was fanatically clean. Every morning I would arrive home to a wonderful meal and immaculate room. I loved the whole experience. When we weren’t busy at work they allowed us to play cards. I won money every night playing Scat. I also won a check pool for over $1000. For four weeks, I worked 12 hour night shifts, slept like a baby and ate really well. The only time I missed was when I came home for my daughter’s opening night in Peter Pan. She was the cutest Smee ever, but I was exhausted.