My name is WizeFrog, and I was a Carnie.
I worked at
Paramount's Kings Dominion.
Games Department. Area 1 (One).
Job Journal Entries listed from oldest to newest.
Only two more weekends until the season is over. Just two! Four days, that's it. Four more days, four more days, four more days. Soon, I'll have free time again... Wow...
It's over, it's finally over. The season ended four days ago. I made it. I'm alive, I didn't lose my mind. The last day was just as bad as all the rest, actually, even a little worse. However, it's over now.
Over the past few months I've been getting some things in the mail inviting me back to King's D for another season. They even invited me to interview to be a team leader or manager. Then, today they called in a last attempt to draw me back. I must say, the pay was tempting and a voice in the back of my head keeps saying it wasn't so bad last year. But I just can't do it. Although, I did learn a lot through my experience there, five years down the line I don't want to say to myself "I am a carnie, or a glorified manager of carnies." I have other plans.
Thus Ends My Life as a Carny
Job Journal Entry: August 3rd, 2000.
It's not easy being a carnie. I don't like to take people's money. But I have to, I have to. That's my job! It's my job to take your money! And now that I've figured out how to get commission, it's a little easier for me.
This job isn't all bad, however. I've figured out ways to pass the long hours of standing and doing nothing. I've started my own talk show with a little friend of mine named PikaChu. We, Pika and I, have spent a lot of time together, and the result is the WizeFrog and PikaChu show. Our show includes interviews with Pokemons and other celebrities. I also try to throw in a little singing here and there, and to really spice things up, I like to add a little gossip about other shows such as "Survivor."
Job Journal Entry: August 22nd, 2000.
Well, I almost got fired. That really sucked. But, I still have my job, one more screw up, and that'll be it. I'm hopeful, however, that I will last the rest of the season. The job has gotten pretty monotonous. A new shift has started: The 10 hours a day shift. We'll see what happens with that. The pay is ok, but I have yet to see a penny of commission. A customer cussed me out in Spanish the other day, but it was a Spanish word I understood. I refrained from retaliating.
I work with so many people that speak very little English. A simple conversation isn't possible, especially with the guy that has the heavy Scottish ascent
Everyone has been quitting. The company has somehow conned volunteers into working there. It's all very crazy. Well, that's all I have to say about that.
Job Journal Entry: August 25th, 2000.
I had the day off today. Working, though, gives me a since of accomplishment that I've never gotten from anything else. I've decided I like working. Although, now that I've decided I like, I'll probably get fired somehow. Hahaha, let's think happy thoughts!
Job Journal Entry: Sometime between August 25th and Sept 21st, 2000.
Let's see. I messed up again ... it was only a little mess up, though, and I have yet to hear anything about it. Also, I now know that commission is a lie. The one day when I knew for sure I was going to get commission, I didn't. I complained. Still, I shall never, from this day forward, attempt to get commission.
A Bothersome encounter:
I was working at a game not too long ago, that is very hard to win. I boy about 12 came to play. He lost. After he walked away, his mother decided to have words with me. She said, and I quote: "Does it effect your conscience at all to steal money like that from little kids... People like you make me sick. You make me sick!" I was flabbergasted. Halfway thru her distasteful display, it became clear she wasn't happy, duh. I said I was sorry and that I tried to explain to the kid that it's a difficult game. All she had to say: "You make me sick."
I shouldn't have let her effect me. She was just mad that her kid lost the game, had he won, she would have probably thanked me when I handed him the prize. However, she did effect me. It was then I realized that I was never ment for customer service.. I can't deal with angry people.
This should be a lesson to us all. You can't try to shame or dishearten a person if they're just doing their job. Mean people suck.
Job Journal Entry: Sept 21st, 2000.
Work sucks. The park is only open on weekends now, so I only work 2 days a week. School has started, though. I haven't had a real day off in almost a month. If I'm not spending the day at school listening to stupid people try to sound smart, then I'm at work listening to stupid people sound stupid. I've decided to climb the latter, I want to be in charge, I need a promotion! If I was in charge, things would be different.
On a brighter note, Sue and Rudy from "Survivor" are going to be there this Saturday. Maybe, just maybe, I'll see one of them.
Job Journal Entry: Oct 13th, 2000.
Job Journal Entry: Oct 26th, 2000.
I suppose it wasn't all bad, after all, I met a cool guy and lots of other new people, too. I also made enough money to buy a (very cheap) car with a little left over.
Then again, I was constantly in a mixed state of dread and worry drowned out by extreme boredom. I was exposed to the elements and to the worst of our society. My views on the world and the human race as a whole have been forever altered.
If I had it all to do over again, would I still have chosen to work there? I would like to say "For the love of God, NO! Are you crazy?! NO! NO! NO!" But, I really don't know. In six months I'll get a letter in the mail inviting me back for another season. As awful as it is, the money is very tempting and causes me to consider another season in that Tophet known as King's Dominion.
I wrote a poem about my last day of work, to view it click here.
Job Journal Entry: Jan 27th, 2001. Final Entry
