life rattle show no. 1379

Presented on thursday, August 4, 2016

hosted by virginia ashberry

featuring

"Who Hires Fifteen-Year-Olds"
by Julie Mirkovic

"Jane"
by Natasha Wong

"Border Patrol"
by Paul Goldwater

tonight's Show

features three classic stories from three young writers who share their early employment experiences: from difficult customers, to a dead manager, to a drug bust—it’s all here for your listening pleasure.

Julie Mirkovic was born in Toronto in 1979, the younger of two daughters. The family moved to Mississauga when Julie was less than a year old. She grew up and went to university there, while she worked part-time. As a postscript to that story, despite her early complaints about the job, Julie lasted two years working at Consumers Distributing, until the company went under in 1997. Mirkovic said her job at Consumers helped pay her first year university tuition.

Natasha Wong, born in 1978, the elder of two daughters, in Toronto also grew up in Mississauga. At the time of recording Natasha was studying for a bachelor of science.

Paul Goldwater was born in London, England, the oldest of four boys. The family emigrated from London, England, to St. Catherines, Ontario, in 1988 when Paul was nine years old. Goldwater grew up and went to school in St. Catherines, then on to study biology, anthropology and French in Mississauga. Like the previous writer on tonight’s program, Natasha Wong, Goldwater continued to work part-time at the job in his story while he attended school.

In “Home” Molefe returns to South Africa after 15 years away, to be part of family rituals to mark the death of her mother. Rituals that are important, necessary and of course, difficult.