Editor’s Note: Things had been pretty stressful at work and I needed to recalibrate and unwind. So one weekend I packed up a travel bag and made a quick trip to Koboh for a fishing trip. My plan was to spend some time fishing at my favorite fishing hole, near a quaint little town called Rambler’s Reach. I couldn’t wait to get a hook in the water.
While there, I happened to meet another fisherman who oddly enough bore a striking resemblance to a shrimp. His name is Skoova Stev. Skoova Stev is a Scottish fisherman, and we struck up a lively conversation. We spent hours talking and laughing that day and let me tell you, Skoova can really tell a story. As the Scottish would say, He could spin a yarn!
Now you might be thinking, “He’s a fisherman, Ernie, and fishermen are known to exaggerate or lie.” I know, I get it. The same thought occurred to me, but he told me a story so great, so fantastical, so amazing I’d like to take a moment and share it with you in this edition of Guest Spotlight.
EB: Good afternoon, Skoova Stev. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
SS: Certainly. I grew up on a sparsely populated planet named Tatooine. This is important because the unemployment rate is high and it’s difficult to get a job. Many of those in my high school class left to find work in other places. After high school it was hard to find a job and career wise it was tough to find work.
Dad taught me to fish at a young age, and I seemed to have a knack for how to catch fish. Later I would become a professional fisherman and make a living catching fish. Sometimes I work as a Fishing Guide as well, taking business people and beginners out to remote lakes to find fish. I make sure they catch a lot of fish on our fishing expeditions. The pay isn’t great, but I’m able to make a living.
EB: Okay, that helps us understand your background. You mentioned in one of our earlier conversations that your first job was on the Death Star. Is that correct? Can you tell us how that came about?
SS: Yes, that’s absolutely correct. As I mentioned, there weren’t a lot of jobs and my parents put pressure on me to find a job after I graduated. It wasn’t easy. There weren’t a lot of fast food places where I lived and starting out with a company was especially tough. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent scrolling through both my Indeed and ZipRecruiter apps. It was pretty discouraging.
Then a friend told me about a job he had just started in construction. I was interested and through him, I put in an application with the Empire. It was an entry level position and there were really no opportunities for career growth. The hours were long, and the credits weren’t great, but at least it had benefits. Little did I realize I was building a Death Star.
EB: Wow that’s quite a start to working life. What exactly did you do on the Death Star?
SS: Well my official position was “General Labor”, but I was known around the site as a “Monkey.”
EB: A Monkey? What does a Monkey do?
SS: A Monkey climbs around in the open, under construction sections of the Death Star and uses wire to tie off metal beams. The tie downs hold the framework in place for welding. Later, the robo welders come by and weld the steel frame in place. It was a dangerous job- one slip and you’d be floating to a “Galaxy far, far away.” And there weren’t a lot of safety precautions either. There were accidents all the time and there sure as hell was no OSHA to watch over the Empire, that’s for sure.
EB: Sounds dangerous. What happened next?
SS: Well, I did the job for a few months, and it got to the point where I just hated going to work. I didn’t like my supervisor. They were always up in my business and never left me alone. It was a hassle and the credits weren’t worth it.
So I called off one Friday, took a shuttle back to the mainland and hitched a ride to Alaska. I worked on a crab boat for a few years, then started my own business. Later I found out the purpose of the Death Star and was glad I was no longer working for the Empire. It was a learning experience, believe me. I never looked back.
EB: Well that’s quite a story, Skoova Stev. Thanks for taking the time to be interviewed.
SS: Thank you.