James Brown

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The Worst Job in the World

My Dad did it. He went to a place
where vans come and collect the men
who want to work. Sometimes
they mowed grass in the middle of roundabouts
or cut scrub along the motorway.
But one day they got taken to the docks.
They got given sponges and plastic buckets.
The job was to go inside the empty tanks
of a supertanker and soak up the oil
the pumps couldn’t get.
My Dad, he didn’t want to do it, but
he was miles from home and there was
no ride back if he didn’t work.
So he went to the gear pile,
but there were no more overalls.
Tough s#*+! At the end of the day
his clothes had to be thrown away.
All of his pay went on new jeans.
I asked him what it was like
at the bottom of a supertanker,
but I can’t put what he said because
it is Not Appropriate For The Classroom.
When I grow up I want to work for Mitsubishi
and go on their Christmas float.