The year was April 1957, and I had completed one year of training for the ministry.  I was back in London, Ontario, looking for a summer job.  I had no car and had to take the bus or walk all over London while looking for a job.  Now, two weeks had passed and no job.

Donna’s mother had asked me if I would dig up a garden for her, so after being out all morning and no luck, I decided to stay home and dig up the garden.  Everything was going well, and somehow, in spite of the job situation that summer, I felt quite content digging the garden (except any time I had done this before, I did it with a horse and plow).

The sun was shining, and I was perhaps singing while I dug, when suddenly I heard Donna’s mother calling out to me that I was wanted on the phone, which I thought was good timing, since I was ready for a break anyway and to have a drink of water.

I went in and answered the phone and the gentleman on the other end said, “This is Mr. Stewart, and I understand you are looking for work”.  I told him I was, and he wanted to know when I  could come down to see him.  I told him I would be down shortly.  I started work the next day and worked for Mr. Stewart for three summers making ice cream bars and fudgesicles. 

It was a miracle that I wrote, “available now” when I applied at this business, as the secretary had said for me to leave my name, but they had all the help they needed.  But I wrote “available now” on a slip of paper anyway, along with my name and phone number.  A number of students from Western University worked there but they were later getting out of university and the weather was getting hot and people wanted their ice cream, so they needed the extra help.

I am not sure how many bars we made, but there were ten women and five men working 40 hours per week for approximately six months.  It was one of the best places I ever worked.

One of my favourite flavours was, and still is, grapenut.  At that time only, the Maritimes made grapenut ice cream.  So the boss asked me if I could get the recipe.  I told him I thought it was just grapenuts in vanilla ice cream.  At that time, I think the only other available flavours in Ontario were vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and Neapolitan.  All of the flavours we have today came later.

I could write another page on jobs I have had while in college and ministry, but to name a few:  grocery store clerk/manager, farm, lumber yard, school bus driver, hospital orderly, garden centre employee.  One time I was working in a grocery store, preaching on radio, teaching Sunday School and preaching Sunday services all in one week!  I was also the Protestant Chaplain at the Shelburne Youth Centre for 11 years along with three part-time United Churches.  We have ministered in three denominations – Pentecostal, Baptist and United.  After retiring at 65 we did interim ministry in six churches.

Leslie Jobb