perhaps I am an ingrate

My first Friday at my new temp job and my first “Oh, Hell, No!” instance occurred. At the very beginning, when I was just interviewing, I told both this company and my placing temp agency that I am not a mechanic or big and strong enough (and far too desk-educated) to be a laborer. My first Friday, one of the guys there came up to show me how to do my new job - dismantling and cleaning the giant processors in the plate-maker. I have taken care of smaller processors and plate-makers 20 years ago for more pay than I am getting now but this is not part of my deal. He winces at my inability to align in one stroke the extra-long film containers that are beyond my wingspan. Then he tries to get me to dip my hands into the chemical tanks with no rubber gloves or tools - he told me to just wrap a shop rag around my fingers. I held up my hands, dangled my fingers and, as nicely as I could muster, told him I was not doing that without at least wearing rubber gloves and preferrably with an apron on as well. End of story.

We'll see what they expect of me and they'll hear what I expect from them on Monday.