Trailways MCI -- taken in about 1987 (Oregon Plate) this image captures Pacific Trailways in all its glory. Found on E-Bay with no association of provenance-- whoever the photographer was, great capture, and thank you! This appears to be about a 1980 model.
Now, for a overview of why I left Pacific Trailways. During the day, baggage was handled by the station manager and others. In the evening after 4 when I got out of school they required other employees (myself) to step in. I worked with several ticket agents, one personable, and the other a contentious drunk, difficult to work with. The latter, even, Frank requested me run over to his apartment several times, wake him up, and tell him to report him to work after an all night drunk. The position was filled 4 till the last bus at 1 a.m.
I was responsible for cleaning the lobby and bathrooms. Many nights I would be in the lobby waxing and polishing the floors till 3 in the morning, heavy snow accumulating outside, sometimes 3-feet. Previous to this, many busses were late, as they had to chain up on the pass and remove the chains before Bend.
Back to the event, one night I was cleaning the lobby, and in cleaning the men's bathroom (in dire need of updating) I decided to pour a extreme cleaner in the urinals. This, unfortunately, resulted in an overpowering acrid odor which passengers complained about, there was no ventilation in the bathrooms. The disgruntled station manager grabbed me by the shirt, berated me and dragged me into the bathroom, locking the door, he yelled, 'how do like the smell'! I pounded on the door yelling 'let me out'! After a while, he unlocked the door. I was so incensed I quit.
The next day Frank was dismayed in losing his main baggage boy. He instructed this ticket manger come over to my apartment, apologize, and beg me to come back to work. I refused.
This was my end of employ, I was a good employee, and to this end, Frank should have come over and talked to me himself. This was his misstep, and to this end, he failed to fire this incompetent employee. This was in part because Frank always had trouble filling positions. After this incident, I was bitter to say the least, a sad ending to a fun job and my association with Frank who was a mentor to me.
