All Things Considered

We've been hearing listeners' summer job stories all season long, and as the summer winds down, Melissa Block and Michele Norris hear John Hyduk of Cleveland tell his story, "Big Iron." Hyduk's avocation is writing, which he's supported over the years by working a number of blue-collar jobs in Cleveland. This story is about one of the first -- a carman's helper with the Norfolk and Western railroad.

Factory work means you have to withstand being covered in starch and powdered sugar, and have your dreams haunted by thousands of Pillsbury Doughboys. In today's summer jobs stories, Melissa Block and Michele Norris hear from listeners about working the production lines in a gum factory and in a latex factory.

Factory work means you have to withstand being covered in starch and powdered sugar, and have your dreams haunted by thousands of Pillsbury Doughboys. In today's summer jobs stories, Melissa Block and Michele Norris hear from listeners about working the production lines in a gum factory and in a latex factory.

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.