What was the strangest job you ever had?

In 1965 I became a gas station hostess. My husband signed with the Detroit Tigers Baseball Company in 1963. This was his second season with the Tigers. The previous year he played on minor league teams, the Lakeland Tigers (Lakeland FL) in the Florida State League and then the Cocoa Tigers (Cocoa FL) in the Rookie League. He was assigned to the Syracuse Tigers (Syracuse NY) AAA team in the International League in 1965 so we were in Florida for spring training. He was gone all day at the ball field, and I needed a diversion. I looked for temporary employment since we would be leaving right after spring training.

I answered an ad for a gas station hostess not having a clue what that might entail. I was hired on the spot because…WHO would aspire to be a gas station hostess? Every weekday I dressed in my best, with nylons and high-heeled shoes. I was in full party make-up.  It was late February in Florida, so not as hot as later in the year; but, it was still very humid.

In the 1960s oil companies competed for business by offering perks beyond the full service expected at a gas station. Full service meant that a man or boy would fill the tank with gas, check the oil (add if needed), and wash the windows. Women were rarely hired for that job. In fact, I don’t remember ever seeing a woman working at a gas station in the 50s or 60s. To acquire loyalty, oil companies offered perks such as green stamps, small appliances or other home goods to customers. Green stamps were collectible everywhere. A number of stamps were given depending on the amount of a purchase, then they were glued into a twenty-page book. When the book or books were filled they could be traded in for items from the green stamp catalog according to value. Stamps were valued at 10, 20, or 50 points. Each business determined what dollar amount equated to what green stamp value. Some stations gave more stamps per dollar, thereby gaining customer loyalty. The gas station I worked for decided that entertainment was an avenue to customer loyalty beyond premiums and rewards.

My job was to greet each car as it drove up and offer the customer a menu of goodies. We had green stamps, of course, but we also had toys for the kiddies and small gifts for the homemaker, an apron, a flower vase, a set of cloth napkins, a coffee pot, etc. It was an invitation for men (they were primarily the drivers) to score instant points with the family – no need to collect stamps for months and months. I also offered a paper cup of coffee or a soft drink for the driver.

Some days, they hired a clown – yes, a clown in full regalia from crazy wig, bright baggy costume, to big floppy shoes. His job was to stand at the side of the road to wave customers into our station. If kids were in the car, he would follow it into the service area to entertain with juggling or some crazy stunt while the car was being serviced. The clown’s job was much tougher because he had to be out in the sunshine dancing and waving with breaks a few times an hour. We were both dripping sweat most of the day. We dashed into the station office when we could to stand before the cool of the air conditioner. He didn’t work every weekday but did work on the weekends. When the clown and I worked on the same day we laughed at the implausibility of our jobs and traded stories of the people we met. He was a part-time grocery store worker and an aspiring actor and writer.

I quit or my temp job ended, I can’t remember which, after four weeks. I earned a little money but had a great story to tell. It looked good on my resume – a conversation starter. To this day I have never met anyone else who was a gas station hostess. If you know one, please let me know.