Education is KEY

I sat in Valvoline Instant Oil Change today and had a moment of absolute clarity.  I nudged the boy to take off his Ipod headset to hear the wisdom I was about to impart.  Here it is.."Education is KEY.  You have got to be well educated and you must be open to change and grow."  Here's why.  That oil change job and the manager of that Oil Change shop, will not exist by the time you buy your first car.   Who will do it then.... YOU.. with the help of a machine. 

This Country, this world even, is going down a path of no return.  Customer Service jobs are becoming more obsolete by the day.   I began to have some real flashback moments and gave him a brief history lesson. 

When I was Spen2's age there were GROWN MEN that worked at Service (or Filling) Stations.  These GROWN MEN pumped gas, checked the pressure in your tires, check your oil levels and the cleanliness thereof.  These GROWN MEN rotated tires if necessary, fixed flats, CLEANED your windshields...wow, I am getting all nostalgic.   Ladies coming home from work in suits and pumps didn't have to get out of a car in blinding rain or snow or inclimate weather of any kind and handle the germy nozzle of a gas pump.  WOW... that really existed and I remember it well.   

When I was Spen2s age, there were young adults that made a living wage bagging groceries.  Down South some of these young people even took the groceries out and put them in your trunk for you.  Here's one that really shows my historical perspective;  some of these folks would walk or ride their bikes to your house and personally deliver the groceries you had picked out.   REAL JOB.

When I was Spen2s age, there was a man that owned a farm.  Every morning he would load up his truck with fresh fruits and vegetables and drive throughout the neighborhood letting people know of the kinds of fresh produce he had available that day.  People would flag down his truck and make purchases. 

When I was Spen2s age, there was a telephone OPERATOR.  You called this operator to help you dial out to different area codes and countries. When you called a business during business hours, a HUMAN BEING answered the telephone.

When I was Spen2's age, there were car washes run by PEOPLE.  These, GROWN MEN, had buckets and towels and they would hand wash your car, put wax on it by HAND and buff it out....

When I was Spen2's age, executives, managers, folks of importance had SECRETARIES.... oh wow, remember that?  Secretaries answered phones, typed letters, took dictation, made coffee and in general freed up the executives, manager, folks of general importance to EXECUTE, MANAGE and be IMPORTANT, all while working an eight hour day and getting home in time to have dinner with their families at a reasonable hour. 

Elevator Operators, Doormen, Shoe Shiners... Gone, Gone, Gone.

So, young people, you can believe that I am just O-L-D and things are just as they always will be.  Or you can believe me when I say that you better get those books and be nimble because sure as I sit here in the Valvoline Instant Oil Change today.... 10 years from now, YOU will be your very own "oil change" guy and the "oil change" guy will be the "you got any spare change" guy.