I wish I knew more about what dad did as an occupation for most of my childhood. He was called a freight checker, and the most I know about it is that he was responsible for unloading/reloading freight trucks and keeping track of the inventory on the trucks. It doesn’t sound like the most exciting job in the world, but it was steady work at the time. For most of his career, he worked for California Motor Express (CME).
Image via http://www.traincellaronline.com
I remember the logo, as it’s forever burned in my brain. As a small child, I would point to the CME trucks that I would see on the road, saying “that’s Daddy’s company.” My dad received plenty of logo-emblazoned swag over the years, and he was always wearing the cap or jacket. My dad was a hard worker, and I think he was proud of his job, even if it was blue-collar and didn’t pay that much. (I think he topped out at around $40,000 annually.)
It’s just one of those jobs that doesn’t necessarily have a textbook definition, so it’s hard to imagine what my dad did every afternoon and evening for all of those years. Much later, when he became a security guard, I could picture exactly what he did. I guess what’s most important is that my dad was always eager to work hard to support his family.
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Wow you sound like you could be my sister by what you wrote. My dad was a driver at CME for 39 years. I must have met your dad on the dock when I worked there a few days. Richard Kavonian, Jr.
Thanks for sharing. Still have a couple of Dad’s orange CME jackets.
My Dad was a driver out of the SF depot. He retired from CME after 30 some odd years. Like your Dad, Joy, he was a good provider for his family. Oh, he also drove me to school every day too (high school)! Fortunately, I was uasually one of the first to arrive–so no audience. LOL
My dad was the the Manager of the Oakland Branch of California Motor
Express from the day it opened for 40 years. I worked there during the summer during WWII while attending high school.
Small world, thanks for sharing!
I passed one of their trailers sitting in a lot in Filer, ID. I should have taken a picture. If I go back, I will. That thing doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon.
Thanks for sharing Carlos, safe travels.