(Wireline 1) My six month career with Air Reduction.

My first job after graduating was when Air Reduction hired me to be the manager of their Bakersfield, California store. I and a truck driver delivery man were the only people at the store. It really tried my management ability.

I spent a week at the Los Angeles facilities of Airco. I was worked in the gas pressure regulator rebuilding shop. I also worked on the order desk. Answered the phone and wrote orders. The facility also produced oxygen. The plant was located in South Los Angeles.

We moved to Bakersfield. I sold welding supplies over the counter. Welding rod, flux, etc. I sold welding rod by the pound. I helped the truck driver load his truck with bottles of oxygen and acetylene. With experience I learned how to roll two oxygen bottle at a time. I never was able to roll two acetylene bottles. These bottles were heavier and oddly shaped. The truck driver could. He drove a delivery route every day through the industrial areas of Kern County and delivered welding gas. One of the big customers was The Superior Oil Company at Rio Bravo. Years later I was to work for Superior in Texas.

It was an interesting starting job with a large nationwide company. There was one big problem. My pay was $250 per month. Every two weeks I received $112. That is not much, even in those days, for a guy with a wife, two kids, and a dog. I worked part time jobs on the side. Sold clothes at Sears Roebuck and plucked turkeys. (plucking turkeys is not a great job) It was at this time we cooked our first Thanksgiving Day turkey. I distinctly remember saying ouch at the expense of buying a roaster pan. We used it for many years, however.

I looked around and got a job as a roustabout at the Golden Bear Oil Refinery in Oildale. The job paid a hundred dollars more per month. That hundred dollars was a big help.