4 of 71

Write now Article Tools

Page 3 of 11

worth it. Inside the room were cardboard boxes filled with old 45 records, 8-track cassette tapes, a mixing board with huge knobs, an old piano with a couple of the keys dropped, and a big reel-to-reel tape recorder. I could not believe my eyes, but I had walked right into an old home recording studio!

Sadly, I heard a door open upstairs and someone walking around. I got the hell out of the basement and ran upstairs. A bunch of people followed in the door, throwing their backpacks on the floor and making a mad dash for the cabin refrigerator. They were the field staff, and I was about to join them.

Another less formal meeting followed. Again, everybody sat down in the living room, this time grabbing all kinds of granola bars and snacks. Then we all followed out single-file into the snow covered field in front of the cabin. It was then that I learned that we were going to be divided into groups to move out into the field. Good news, I said to myself. The bad news, however, was that I was a last minute replacement for someone who failed to show.

Gear was packed up and I headed out in a large black van, not really sure where I was going or what lay ahead.

Thirty minutes later I the van stopped. I was in the middle of the Adirondack Mountains. Somewhere. We weren't told where we were because the supervisory staff said that it had to remain a secret to discourage the students from running away. students. Ironically these so-called students were here because they did bad things. Things from stealing cars to robbery to trying to kill or injure others.

Once the gear and equipment was unloaded, my team assembled and we loaded all of our belongings into a rescue sled and headed out. I was told that my destination was at the end of the trail and that further instructions would be waiting upon my arrival. I became a little skeptical about this whole job thing, but did as I was instructed.

At first, the trail was wide enough to allow for a car to pass, but it gradually got narrower and more unforgiving. Halfway to the end it became rocky and covered in ice. Towards the end it was barely in existence and I found myself climbing over moguls of rock and dirt and over patches of ice. I cannot count how many times the sled tipped over and spilled our personal effects everywhere.

Then at last, we arrived at the site. Trying to look like I was still game for this job, I walked right into the site, but failed to notice that I was standing on a well-packed snow drift that was a good two

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• ...
• 11
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Testimonials: Humorous stories from of job loss and unemployment?
We want to hear your view. Write now!