Human Interest

Examining cockroaches with rectal tumors, training would-be-spies, driving a hearse in Santa Barbara, and running the ball-picker at a golf course: just some of the odd-duck summer jobs Robert Siegel and Michele Norris hear about this week as our series continues.

Examining cockroaches with rectal tumors, training would-be-spies, driving a hearse in Santa Barbara, and running the ball-picker at a golf course: just some of the odd-duck summer jobs Robert Siegel and Michele Norris hear about this week as our series continues.

Throughout the summer, we've been sharing listener stories about the summer jobs that influenced them the most. Today, we hear about working the night shift at an Atlantic City Expressway gas station, and about working on Truitt's Rolling Store -- basically, a convenience store on wheels -- in rural Alabama.

Throughout the summer, we've been sharing listener stories about the summer jobs that influenced them the most. Today, we hear about working the night shift at an Atlantic City Expressway gas station, and about working on Truitt's Rolling Store -- basically, a convenience store on wheels -- in rural Alabama.

For our summer jobs series, listeners tell us about working as a fly picker in a jam factory, the hazards of canning pineapple, and why your low-end brand peas might have been high quality the summer of 1969.

For our summer jobs series, listeners tell us about working as a fly picker in a jam factory, the hazards of canning pineapple, and why your low-end brand peas might have been high quality the summer of 1969.

Our summer jobs series continues with one of the hardest jobs out there -- waiting tables. We hear from several former waitresses, including our own Michele Norris.

Our summer jobs series continues with one of the hardest jobs out there -- waiting tables. We hear from several former waitresses, including our own Michele Norris.

As part of our ongoing series on summer jobs, Michele Norris and Robert Siegel hear some of the valuable lessons learned while on the job. Advice columnist Amy Dickinson talks about learning how to be a good employee; Utah Sen. Bob Bennett talks about being a mailboy in his grandfather's paint company; and we hear letters from two listeners, one who quit her summer job rather than do something unethical, and another who was wrongly accused of misbehavior.

As part of our ongoing series on summer jobs, Michele Norris and Robert Siegel hear some of the valuable lessons learned while on the job. Advice columnist Amy Dickinson talks about learning how to be a good employee; Utah Sen. Bob Bennett talks about being a mailboy in his grandfather's paint company; and we hear letters from two listeners, one who quit her summer job rather than do something unethical, and another who was wrongly accused of misbehavior.