Peter Millinton was a man of the working class. His family wasn't generally wealthy in today's standards although some parts of his family owned a decent lot. Members of his family usually retired with enough to live a normal life. Not many of them could laze about all that much before retirement. Peter knew where he was from and what he could anticipate to get within his lifetime through seeing what was customary with his family. Didn't take much thought, thought I would mention that here in the sake of observation.
Life was an adventure with Peter. He was always physically active and liked the outdoors. He didn't care to camp, preferring his nice warm bed. He would get some action one way or another on the weekend. That was how he was.
The economy weakened and he became unemployed. His employer told him that he should search out new employment because they weren't sure that they'd ever be the same when the economy recovered, if it ever would recover. Peter wasn't too happy about this and he would trudge on ahead anyways without much choice in the matter. He needed a vacation anyway.
Peter's savings was nice, not a fortune. He saved enough to live on a whole year if necessary and he supposed that it wouldn't take that long to find another employer. He didn't believe in financing and so didn't have any impending debts to pay off. If he couldn't pay something off in one payment he wouldn't purchase it. “Never broke.” was a rule he never broke. He would be financially alright long enough to get situated with another employer.
His wife didn't work and his daughter was getting ready to move out, having turned 18 a week ago. He was the sole income of the house and since they owned their house they were accustomed to spending money with greater freedom than your average family with a lease or mortgage. It was technically his wife's house, inherited as a thirtieth birthday gift from her mom and dad. He didn't mind though. They were in it together for life. Who cares what the paperwork said?
They kept their social life throughout their marriage and were apt to drink and party and have a great time. Friends would visit often and they would go out with and without their daughter often. They weren't over-the-top but they weren't dull and boring either.
He would like the time off and was ready to rest awhile.
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Months later and the economy was yet to improve and the work market was failing. Peter went on his work search during his third month of unemployment, his wife urging him, worried that if he didn't start now and the economy stayed bad, he might not find work at all and then it could be too late when their savings got depleted. He agreed and went searching.
He looked hard, using internet sites, searching the classifieds, going to the employment office and personally applying with a printed resume at individual companies. His resume wasn't all that bad and he didn't lack experience and knowhow but the employers weren't calling him. A few weeks of this and he started to get worried.
His wife and him sat and watched the economy get worse with huge layoffs across the country. She thought he should ask people he knew about work, family and friends, people he knew well enough that he could trust. He agreed.
He asked his brother and sister and a few of his cousins. None of them knew of something that would fit. He asked some of his friends and lucked out. John Wilson, one of his friends that would attend their small parties on the weekend, usually bringing a bottle or two of whiskey with him, told him that his employer was hiring. Peter was ecstatic. John knew Peter well enough that he could recommend him. So John told him that he would talk to his management about him before he applied and that he would let him know about it on monday. Peter thanked him and waited the weekend patiently.
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
When monday rolled around John Wilson called Peter, saying that his supervisor wanted to see his resume so that he would know where to place him. Peter emailed the supervisor his resume and an hour later he got a call. His phone interview with the supervisor went well and he was given directions to the worksite and a training schedule. Peter called John and thanked him. John was happy to help, saying that he knew too well what it was like to go without a decent line of work to depend on. He said this employer was great and that Peter would be alright there.
Peter's wife was happy for him and they went out to a park to get their hearts beating. Life was going to continue on.