A Year in Pictures of Working

Job #12: Texas Instruments Clean Room (cont.)

I worked 12 hour night shifts (three days on, three days off, four days on, four days off). I wore clean jumpsuits (called "bunny suits") and gloves and goggles and a face mask.

At first it seemed kind of funny. Everyone looked pretty much the same. White blogs with eyes. It was hard to know who you were talking to at any given time.

Co-Worker: Hey, this is Red. Red have you met Arnie?
Red: No.
Co-Worker: Well, Arnie, this is Red. I've always meant to ask you, why do they call you Red?
Red: My hair. It's red.
Co-Worker: Oh.

I had the following conversation with a guy who had worked there, in bunny suits, for 25 years.

Co-Worker: So, you used to live in Chicago, huh?
Me: Yep.
Co-Worker: Cold, huh? I don't know. I don't know if I could do that. Get up every morning, it's cold, you have to get all bundled up.

The novelty wore off pretty quickly. When a shitty job is no longer funny, it's just miserable. Still, when I recently stumbled across a website selling bunny suits, I ordered one for myself, and had it sent to Jellyvision, just for the hell of it. When it showed up it was a few sizes too small, but I tried it on anyway. It gave me an unflattering back and front wedgie.

Amanda: Take that thing off! It's disgusting!

# posted by Arnie : 2:48 PM