My very first full time job way back in 1957 was for a printing outfit that made those cards you see in the paint department at hardware stores. I got a promotion to the paint room where we spray painted the 6x8 foot paper with the colors needed by the customer. Mostly we used laquer but sometime enamel or some of the other type paints. Funny thing is after work we'd stop at the local pub for a beer and they would serve me even though I was only 18 at the time and baby faced as hell. I still got carded in my late 20's. Anywat, not that I'm excusing drunken painters but after smelling those fumes from the paint, thinners involved, one beer will literally knock you out. Bt the time I got home, it's 7 miles from the parking lot to my house at the time, I was literally totally shiiiitefaced. Much as I liked that after work beer I switched to ice tea or Coke.
Shortly after I got that job I was able to get my first car, a 1949 Ford two door club coupe. It was owned by an old couple and was totally mint. Three days later while stopped at an arterial stop sign with my left turn signal blinking a drunken painter hit my stopped vehicle at an estimated 60 MPH as estimated by the police by where my car was stopped after the impact. The driver hadn't even tried to use his brakes and the cops said he was probably passed out when he hit me. I've had a bad back ever since and when I tried to sue he didn't even have any insurance nor even a dime to his name.
Oh well.
Paul B.
