Poop Scooping Bag Instructions (Photo credit: reinvented)
Last night I was out with Fatigue for Friday Night Madness. While we waited for our beers to arrive, we caught each other up on the bits and pieces of the last couple of weeks since we were last out. I talked at him, telling him what’s happening with my writing, he talked at me, telling me what’s happening with his singing. A nice evening, the bar wasn’t too crowded, all our favorite waitresses were working, and as usual, the customers were a cross section of our neighborhood. $16 a pint hipsters sitting at one table with a table of $5 pitcher drinkers next to them.
I was pleased to have a funny story to share with Fatigue. Earlier in the day I was cruising the writer’s forum, and came across a thread looking for some ideas for humiliating jobs that a character might have. Jobs that would be super embarrassing, easy targets for being looked down upon, lots of opportunity for humor. Yanno where I’m headed with this, right?
English: Pooper scooper detail at end of the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
No less than three people volunteered the idea of dog poop picker upper. Now it’s true, lots of opportunity for comedy in this, and it doesn’t have quite the same ring as “My Son The Doctah,” but we all do what we have to do. Fatigue is a singer, who walks dogs to pay his rent. Mrs Fringe is a Mama, a writer, and walks dogs to put the pharmacist’s kid through college. Yes, dog poop picker uppers. Try not to be jealous, as we spend our days skipping through the rain and snow, laughing and examining dog poop. Sure it’s a shitty job, but someone’s got to do it. *rimshot*
But we were laughing last night, assuming the posters were young enough to not intend any harm or insult. It’s innocence, to see these types of jobs as throwaway. We ate, and then chatted for a bit with one of the waitresses. The one who serves us beer on Friday nights so she can continue working on her doctorate during the day. Bar maid, ditch digger, lawyer, nit-picker and poop picker upper, we all do what we can and what we have to. Everyone has a story, whether we’re living life on the fringe, or just appear to be.
Cheers, Fringelings!
English: Paulaner Dunkel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
mrsfringe 
You’re so lucky to have work that will never be superceded by any form of technology. Borat…when faced with the news the love of his life is walking around with a bag of poop. No sense of the protestant work ethic – work is a Divine right, and there’s no end to the ends in sight which bring you that Divine glory.
Later…
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The Divine glory of poop polishing 😉
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My sister goes to Utah where there’s petrified dinosaur droppings just lying around. She collects them. The unique ones, she sells. Her life would be so empty without all the petrified poop she’s found. Glad pooper scooper laws are relatively new, she’s neurotic enough as she is. Do think about leaving the more artistic droppings for future genertions to enjoy.
On my Way…
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I LOVE this! I need dinosaur droppings, maybe a shadow box. I wonder how long they take to petrify….
Also, hi shimmyshark, welcome to Mrs Fringe! 🙂
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Husband sent me…and he’s the anti-social one.
On my Way…
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I’ll have to thank Husband.
Though I like to think of it as comfortable with myself, as opposed to antisocial.
Then again, mebbe I’m just bitchy 😉
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Bar maid, ditch digger, lawyer, nit-picker and poop picker upper, we all do what we can and what we have to.
So true.
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❤
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He he – very funny. I like the look of that beer. I’ve been on the phone for the last half hour – on hold – and now I feel like I could use that!!
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Cybering one stout right over 😀
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I followed a conversation that got really. really. ugly not too long ago on FB about waitresses, which then expanded to other professions that depend on tips to survive. The overriding opinion of many? “Get a real job.” Yes, that is so very easy today. Not to mention service jobs are a necessary part of business, society and the economy! I was a waitress for 6+ years and worked hard for every dollar I earned. There is dignity in ALL work.
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Ugh! That’s one conversation I’m glad I missed.
Get a real job? I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure being a waitress/waiter is a real job. The sense of entitlement some people have is absolutely outrageous. 😦
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“REAL” job? As an ex-NYC actor, among my cronies, *any* job besides acting was all too “real” (as opposed to acting, which was “dream-come-true”) – but generally referred to as “my shit job” (meaning “only until I’m discovered and paid so much I never have to do anything again in my life but act “) – but that would also include such jobs as doctor, lawyer or President of the US, as well as waiter or dog poop picker upper. Then, of course, it would have been more apt a description for the last, I suppose.
We also asked each other, upon some time apart, “Are you working?” – and everyone knew that nobody wanted to hear about your job as President!
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMore dot com)
– ADD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder –
“It takes a village to transform a world!”
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lol, it’s true. These jobs are all too real–and necessary, but our hearts have our real jobs tied to those gigs–whether those are acting, writing, musical, or other art.
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If we’re lucky we do! The saddest people alive are those who seem to have no interest in whatever job they happen to land, and no passion for much of anything else.
I dated a man (briefly!) who actually SAID, “Yeah, well we all have to do *something* for 8 hours a day.” It didn’t seem to matter to him what it was. I think if he came into some money he would do little but watch TV, eat and sleep.
Those of us who are lucky know JUST what we’d do if we won the lottery (quit the “job” to live the dream and “work” at what we love – hiring out all the chores that always seem to get in the way of life and art).
xx,
mgh
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