Everyone usually remembers their first job. Besides the usual chores at home and babysitting. Mine was with Radiation Detection Company. Founded in 1949, in the heart of the silicon valley, they have since moved to Texas. In the 1970s they distributed film badges for doctors and nurses to wear. It measured radiation exposure. I worked in the mail room.
Thousands of badges were sent to us every day. We removed the film from the plastic badge and alphabetized the film from each person by each company. Then they were sent to the darkroom to be read. The badges were sterilized and reloaded with fresh film printed with each dr/nurse name on it and sent back out.
I don't remember how long I worked there, 12-18 months probably. I was in my senior year and only had 2 or 3 classes each morning, then rode my bike about 3 miles to work.
Most of the workers were single women, there were 2 male vice president's and it seemed like there was plenty of cat fighting over or about men, nothing I wanted to be part of.
I remember sitting in one of the smaller offices processing my pile, a fan on the desk because it was hot, when I heard on the radio that Elvis had died. Funny what we rememeber!
I don't remember the reason I gave for leaving. But I was happy this wasn't going to be my life work! Although it suited me well. Alphabetizing names quickly and accurately suited my OCD!!
I had trouble locating a photo of our badges but this is close, prepping the badges for outgoing.
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