Blue Collar Brilliance

Angelica Avalos                                                         Avalos 1

English 101-16         

01/15/2015        

                     “Blue Collar Brilliance”

     Being a seventeen year old high school student was the worst! Not only did I have to deal with school, but I had a part time job at Sixflags Magic Mountain where I’m Still employed today. Reading “Blue Collar Brilliance” reminded me a little bit of my job tasks at Sixflags in a number of ways. “Blue Collar Brilliance” is a short story written by Mike Rose about a waitress who illustrates the idea that blue collar jobs require more effort than to just show up, Mike Rose employed the idea that blue collar jobs require talent, innovation and intelligence. At work I tend to over stress myself with many tasks just as the protagonist in “Blue Collar Brilliance” Rosie balances many tasks at once, just like Rosie I need to stay aware of my tasks and surroundings to employ time management as a lead at Sixflags Magic Mountain. Rosie also demonstrates strong will and dedication everyday of the week which is a big necessity with a blue collar job.

     While at work I complete many tasks. When I first started working at Sixflags, I started as a tube rental and cabana

                                                                        Avalos 2

associate. I would ring people up, assign a cabana along with numbers and waiters and deliver food on a daily basis while reading “Blue Collar Brilliance” One sentence really stood out to me it read “Fry four on two, my mother would say as she clipped a check onto the metal wheel.”(Rose.2009). While reading this line I recalled my time at work. I was somewhat required to do the same, as a cabana associate I was required to make sure all the cabanas were cleaned, no trash was on the sand, ensure all guests happiness and to report any meal requests. This was required every top of the hour sometimes even twice an hour so instead of saying “I’m going to make sure that all the cabanas are clean and ensure guests happiness etc…” my associates and I referred to the task as a “run”. Another very important task to be completed at Sixflags was to ensure that we always had life jackets in stock or behind the counters. We did this so that in case of an emergency all children could be provided with one so when an associate had to do so we referred to it as going on a “life run”. I performed many tasks at six flags and I still do to this day.