Remember that first job?
From chicken catchers to gravediggers, these well-known locals had humble beginnings
They’re all prominent, respected people in this province recognized for their high-profile jobs.
But decades ago, these wellknown locals — including politicians, law enforcers, business people, entertainers and media personalities — had first jobs that were far from glamourous.
Nonetheless, they were memorable experiences that made big impressions.
CHRIS ANDREWS (Lead singer, Shanneyganock band)
First job: Digging graves at a cemetery
“The graveyard was so big and old, the records were not quite correct about where people were buried.
“One day, we were told to dig in a spot and when we got down about five feet or so, we hit what we thought was a rock. It was actually a very old coffin. The bottom fell out and out popped two skeleton legs with a pair of green socks on!
“We jumped out pretty fast!”
DWIGHT BALL
(N.L. Premier)
First job: Service station attendant, Deer Lake
“I was 5-3 and 95 pounds and not finished high school changing oil, greasing cars, washing windows and fixing tires.
“We were always pretty competitive, so we would always compete to see who could change the most tires, wash the most windows … It taught me that good service keeps people coming back.”
JOE BOLAND
(RNC Chief)
First job: Installing residential furnaces, Eastern Sheet Metal
“When I first came out of high school, at 17, I was 135 pounds. So, I’d often be the one who went under the houses in the crawl spaces underneath the floor (to cut holes for heat to blow through).
“One time, I was crawling along the dirt in the pitch black and in the corner, here’s a big rat. All they could hear above was ‘BANG, BANG, BANG,’ my head hitting the floor joists, I was moving so fast to get out of there.
“After that, every time I’d go underneath a house, I’d throw rocks first before doing anything.”
DANNY BREEN
(St. John’s Mayor)
First job: Delivering furniture and office supplies
“It was good being out and about all day,” Breen said.
But it wasn’t so good when
one day, while delivering 20 desks to the fourth floor of Atlantic Place, the elevator went out of service.
“We climbed a lot up a lot of stairs that day and just as we got the last desk up, presto! The elevator came back!”
LYNN BURRY
(TV news anchor)
First job: Checkout clerk, Woolworth’s, Carbonear
“It was pretty bad. I was the world’s worst cashier. Back then, there were no scanners, so everything had to be keyed in on big cash register and customers would go berserk if you keyed it in wrong. I dreaded $1.44 Days. It haunted me for years.
“I tell you, it was one of the worst experiences of my youth.” (Laughs).
MARK CRITCH
(Actor, comedian)
First job: Mowing the lawn at VOCM
“I was 12 years old and
I wasn’t quite up to the task. I was a bit lazy.
“Back then, VOCM was known for the flower garden in the front of the building that spelled out its call letters.
“I had trouble walking the mower back and forth on the embankment, so I lowered the mower down the hill with a rope and pulled it back up.
“The knot slipped out and the mower went right through the O.
“The garden of marigolds was irreparably damaged. It now read ‘V-c-backwards C-M.’
“That’s the only real job I’ve ever had.”
PADDY DALY
(Radio talk show host) First job: Minor baseball coordinator, Wishingwell Park, St. John’s recreation department
“It was a brilliant job. I lined the field and took care of the equipment, made the schedules and umped home plate for a double header each night.
His favourite memory was watching a young pitcher strike out all 21 batters in a seven-inning game.
“I think his name was Mike Ozon. One of the coolest athletic achievements I ever saw. I went to work at 4 p.m. and I was done at dusk. Amazing.”
ALAN DOYLE
(Musician)
First job: Cutting and selling cod tongues, Petty Harbour
“We’d rise early on Sunday mornings and be on the wharf often before 8 a.m. awaiting the small boat fishermen’s return with a lot of cod. In exchange for helping them unload and clean their boats and fish, we were given the opportunity to cut out the cods’ tongues. We then sell the tongues to the highest bidder, which may have been a local store (I think, John’s restaurant) or best of all — a busload of tourists …
“It was hard work, but taught us a lot about effort and return, teamwork, small scale economy, and good old-fashioned sweat.
“Add to that the fact that all the boys my age were doing it and it made for some of the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”
KEITH COLLINS
(President & CEO, St. John’s Airport Authority)
First job: Construction site labourer
“I did all the things the guys didn’t actually want to do, like cleaning up.
“Funny, but anyone who knows me knows how not handy I am. So for me to start my working life in construction was a matter of great humour amongst my friends.
“Fast forward several years and here I am overseeing multimillion-dollar construction operations at the airport.”
RICK MERCER
(TV personality, comedian, political satirist)
First job: Peeling potatoes, Shea’s Hamburger Hell, Quidi Vidi Road
The business was owned by businessman and former MHA Hugh Shea, “a very colourful character, a mild eccentric and one of the best orators I have ever come across,” who was also Mercer’s Godfather and friend of the family.
“That’s how I got the job and, in hindsight, how I avoided being fired.
“(It) attracted an incredible gang of opinionated, informed and over-the-top characters and regulars. I loved every minute being there and being allowed to take part in the conversations. They made politics and current events seem like the most exciting thing in the world.
“I learned two things — having an opinion is worthwhile and peeling potatoes was not for me.”
BOYD MERRILL
(RCMP media relations) First job: Chicken catcher, farm in New Brunswick
“When I’d got home, my mother would strip me off to my (underwear) while I was still outside, snowing or not, then send my to the tub to get the feathers and chicken poop out of my ears and nostrils,” he said.
“From that point forward, every job looked better.”
ANDREW PARSONS
(N.L. justice minister) First job: Lifeguard, swim instructor, Codroy Valley
“My brothers and I ran a swim school. My older brother started the business, my other brother and I started as lifeguards and
“When you’re looking after kids every day, you couldn’t take your eyes off them…
“If you can work with your brothers every day for a number of years, the values you get out of that certainly help you later in life.”
PETE SOUCY
(Actor, former radio talk show host, aspiring politician)
First job: Surveying travellers, tourism, Gander International Airport
“We’d stop and talk to the people who were getting off flights and ask them questions for a short survey. Provincial tourism was looking for information, stats about visitation…
“It was great fun, but I remember I was often partnered with this one girl, who will remain nameless. We were both talking to passengers and when I glance over at her, she’s spilling the contents of her stomach on the floor and over a man’s shoes.
“I quickly tell the guy I’m talking to that maybe we should continue our survey several feet away.”