Workplace 9 - Stadium Love

I’ve signed up with a number of temping agencies over the years and a one-off gig through one of them was the most fun job I’ve ever had.

It was only for one night (I’m sure the enjoyment of it diminishes greatly the longer you’re in the job) but I loved it. I was working behind a bar at the Gabba, ensuring thousands of thirsty fans got their plastic cups of beer. The atmosphere was fantastic! People were loving the game, whatever it was, and loving us, their sustenance providers. We couldn’t see the game from our little bunker bar under the stadium but you could hear the crowd and feel the roar as the teams battled upstairs.

The bar was as simple as lollipops. Each server had three taps in front of them and a massive pile of plastic cups. Cash went to the cashier funnily enough and we just pulled beer after beer for each grinning, chatty face. If you’ve ever been to a game at the Gabba, maybe even most stadiums, you’ve probably seen it. We stood on those rubber barmats, fridges of water and extra stacks of cups behind us. We were smiling beer providers in black and white.

The strongest memory of that night was a group of about a hundred people who were there on a work function. Each one of them had on a name sticker that had something to do with the word ‘bean’. Things like “Bean Stalk”, Bean Fishing”, “Beanie”, and “Running Bean” plus a bunch more quite creative ones that I remember being impressed at but have no idea what they were. If anyone from that group reads this I’d love to know what on earth was going on!

Anyway, I made mates with a bunch of people from this group so I was awarded a “Tinned Bean” name sticker for the night. It was awesome.

The hours of my shift passed in no time at all, we won whichever game it was and the crowd slowly shuffled past clothed in various items of team pride.  I headed out of the stadium, reeking of spilt beer and giddy from a night of constant praise and gratefulness. What a great feeling. 

There may be no love more instant than the footy fan for the girl with the beer.

If you’re feeling a little low and unappreciated, I recommend this job for one night only. Don’t ruin it, the hidden down side that I never realized will appear as in any job. Maybe even once ever six months, but use caution. You will be loved and busy and caught up in the roar of the crowd, the small part that you played in that win blown all out of proportion. And if the home crowd loses, you are responsible for the comforting of a thousand distraught. Suddenly you are all powerful.

I don’t have any cons to this job. Just do it. Do it once.