Kent Lambert
Well I doubt that any family member will ever see this post since John passed away more than 4 years ago, but what the heck. I looked him up on the internet today since the prompt for my Storyworth submission this week was "What was your first boss like?" Here is what I wrote about John:
What was your first boss like?
My first job was working for the East Bay Regional Park District at the swim lagoon at Cull Canyon Reservoir (the same lagoon I referenced in an earlier post concerning late-night skinny-dipping adventures 😊). I was fifteen or sixteen years old, and I made a whooping $3.25 per hour as a Recreation Attendant. I sold entry tickets and hot dogs and brand-new ice cream treat called “Its It”.
My first boss was the Park Supervisor John Sofios. John was responsible for the entire park, so I did not have a ton of contact with him, but there are two things that I recall distinctly. Every summer he threw a huge party for friends and family. John was Greek and I can still recall the delicious smell of roasting goat at the picnic. There was also plenty of music and laughter at these affairs, and I admired him for being the centerpiece of such a grand gathering.
The second memory that I have of John is when he showed me the easiest way to load a wheelbarrow into the back of a truck. In case you have never attempted this act, it can be a little awkward and you may even tweak your back if you do it wrong. The trick, as John showed me, is to flip the wheelbarrow upside down with the two handles straddling your legs while you grasp the wheelbarrow feet with your hands. Then with the back lip of the tub leveraged against your thighs you simply lift and lean backwards slightly until the front lip is high enough to clear the height of the truck bed. You can then push forward with your hands and your thigh as it slides easily into the bed. Reverse the order for unloading.
I enjoy sharing this technique with folks as we work together, and I try to always give credit to my first boss John Sofios for teaching it to me almost 50 years ago. Thanks John, and I am hoping you would forgive me and my friends for the late-night visits to the lagoon!
Kent Lambert