Window Lickers

There are more new faces at work as they steadily ramp up their workforce for "the rush". Most of these employees seem really young....perhaps college kids picking up some work. We had heard that they go out to the local community college and recruit at holiday time. So far the orders are still down so with more people around, we are literally running into each other in the rows as we try and navigate around each other.Not fun...
When you go into the break room most times there is a distinct separation between the regular employees and the workampers. Each sits in their own little group, chatting amongst themselves. We have made friends with several of the "locals". We have also gotten to know a couple of the folks who are here from Puerto Rico to work. The one guy is always picking on us because we can't quite get the pronunciation of his name down. It doesn't roll off our tongues as well as it does his. Since we don't arrive, on a bus, to work each day I guess we are no longer known as the "window lickers". Haven't heard if there is some new name for us but each day rolling into work, by the busload, did give me the feeling of being a migrant worker coming to town to reap the local harvest. For a short time I've come to feel what that may be like for true migrant workers. Needed by the company but not always wanted by the locals....there was some animosity to our arrival when they needed to cut hours back. The regular employees asked why they just didn't get rid of us so they could have their full schedules but management knows the time will come when the extra hands are needed. Not really sure why the nickname "window lickers" unless it was because the bus windows always looked like there were smudges, etc all over them from the countless athletic teams that ride the buses. It certainly wasn't due to us licking the windows...bleck !!
We will work Thanksgiving day...probably all day which is OK by us as we will get overtime pay plus perhaps a pumpkin pie. Who doesn't like to work for food ? Then the following day we will begin 11 hour shifts...5 p.m. till 4:30 a.m...Our goal for the next few weeks will be to keep our bodies rested and prepared for the onslaught ahead. I think a new pair of insoles are in order...I can already see where the arch has lost some of its' height from when new, just 5 weeks ago. I think there must only be a 500 mile lifespan on them...LOL...and Lord knows we've gone past that.