Welcome to the working world

By Dom Cioffi

My son has been working at a grocery store for over a year, and while he usually hates going, it has proven to be one of the most influential experiences of his life.

I had always told my son that, whether he liked it or not, he would be required to get a part-time job when he turned 16. I got my first job washing dishes at 16, so it was only fitting that he would be held to the same bar.

I left the decision of where he should work in his hands, but his ideas proved to be unrealistic. He either wanted a job where he did nothing, or he wanted a job where he could eat constantly. In his mind, an ice cream scooper or nightwatchman were the perfect occupations.

I explained to him that a nightwatchman position was out of the question given his age and the hours. I also wasn’t going to appease his desire for “doing nothing” while at work (even though I’m confident that nightwatchmen do things).

I also scoffed at the ice cream scooper idea (given how he behaves around ice cream). I told him that it sounded like a one-way ticket to obesity, but if he could get hired, I’d be okay with it.

He never bothered to call or get an application, so I finally took matters into my own hands and got him an interview at a local grocery store. He wasn’t happy about the idea, but then he found out a couple of his friends were working at the store, so he quickly got on board.

He got hired as a cart-boy, but when they found out how personable he was, they quickly trained him on the register. My son has the gift of gab and engages well with adults, so the register was a good spot for him. There were some initial concerns about his speed, but after a few weeks, he started to get the hang of working and talking at the same time.

One time when I picked him up after his shift, he had a huge smile on his face. He then presented me with a postcard-sized certificate for exemplary employee conduct. Apparently, he had gone out of his way to help an elderly woman to her car with several bags of groceries. The woman was so enamored with him that she called the manager to sing his praises.

I was understandably proud since I thought this reflected well on me as a parent, but then I discovered that the reward for earning a certificate also included a free slice of pizza and a soft drink. He had learned about this caveat from another coworker and was on the prowl to schmooze an unsuspecting customer.

He has since gone on to earn six or seven more certificates, proving that food is one of my son’s primary motivators.

Throughout his tenure at the store, he has occasionally wanted to skip a shift. His mother, thankfully, defers all such requests my way, at which point I abruptly shoot them down. I tell him he has a responsibility to the other folks at the store and it’s not fair to them if he doesn’t show up.

I’ve learned that logic makes little sense to a 16-year-old, so these conversations often turn into arguments, which I always win.

Over the course of his time at the store, he has seen countless employees hired and fired (including several of his friends). This has given him a great perspective on a strong work ethic, which he now knows is not the standard, especially among teenagers.

At this point, he is one of the veterans among cashiers and has witnessed first-hand how dire the current employment situation is. Not a week goes by where his manager doesn’t beg him to take on more shifts due to their lack of qualified employees.

In the last few weeks, my son has decided he’s done with being a cashier. He says he wants a new job that is more interesting and pays better. I can’t blame him for that, so I’ve given him my blessing — as long as he agrees to find another job first before handing in his resignation.

Whether he continues in this position or moves on to another, my son’s first job has given him valuable lessons about teamwork, responsibility and self-worth.

In this week’s feature, “Hypnotic,” we meet a young woman who has lost all her self-worth due to a traumatic experience with her ex-fiancé. In an effort to heal, she enlists the services of a therapist who specializes in hypnotic techniques. That’s when things get completely unhinged.

The premise of this film actually had legs, but the execution was horrible. The dialogue and story lacked any true cohesion, while the acting teetered on a B-level throughout. The result was a lackluster, almost boring film.

Check this one out if you’ve literally run out of other selections on your movie list; otherwise, save your viewing hours for something with more substance.

A tiresome “D” for “Hypnotic,” available for streaming on Netflix.

Got a question or comment for Dom? You can email him at moviediary@att.net.