Well, I arrived back home around the end of July in 1947. It was a trip that seemed as if it took forever. Probabily because i was in a hurry to get there and mainly due to flooding in Missouri and the bus i was on had to detour way out of the way. As i said earlier it is always good to get home after being away for a while. After a few days back I contacted Colonial Bakery about going to work. They informed me that there were no openings and did not anticipate any. Kathleen and I went down to Louisiana to see my Mom and two sisters. When we got back home i received a phone call from Anson Tyler, one of our neighbors who had gotten me the job originally at Colonial. He was connected with the Union and informed me that they had got my job back for me. I thought about it for a couple of days and decided I would not go back to work there. I had no car and would have to ride the bus as before. I recalled the times when i worked there before of having to walk home nights after the busses stopped running. I answered an ad in the paper for a job with a plumbing and heating company. I would work for a couple of years as a journeyman learning the trade. They gave me the job and i was given a date to start. the day prior to my starting, Leon Moore who owned Moore's Food Market which was a block and a half from where we lived wanted me to go to work for him. I accepted the offer and called the heating company that i would not go to work for them.
The job at the grocery store turned out to be a good decision as it allowed me to go to school and take a one year course in Salesmanship. This was funded by the government and called the 52/20 program. I had no idea what would come out of the schooling but i think it helped me greatly in dealing with people and especially since the grocery business was largely dealing with people. This is where i learned that no one ever outgrows the need for courses in human relations.
My job at he grocery store was not only stocking but waiting on customers, taking orders by phone, filling them and even deliverint them. This was a neighborhood grocery and many of the customers never came to the store. They called in their order and it was delivered to them. Most of our customers worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad. If they were not going to be home, they would leave the door unlocked I would put the groceries on the table. meat etc in the ice box and take my sdelivery box back to the store. Another duty was to collect the grocery bill once a month since nearly everyone charged them and only paid monthly. I would go into homes where people were sleeping, (night workers) and would try not to disturb anyone. I went into one home and the lady was on her knees praying out loud. I put her groceries in the kitchen and when i left she was still praying. I did apologize to her later and she told me did not really hear me come in. I recall making a delivery to Mrs Chudy a polish lady and as i was leaving something hit me in the back. I turned around and she said i had brought the wrong bread so she threw it at me. We laughed, and i always knew never to take her any balloon bread.(Wonder) Anyway, this job was very intresting and i enjoyed it. It gave me the opportunity to gain a lot of experience dealing with people and that experience would prove very beneficial in the years to come.