Nathan Pennington

Carl DeSantis ENG 1101 English Composition 1

June 1, 2015

Literacy Narrative Memoir (Final)

Can an Old Dog Learn?

1982! Nineteen hundred eighty-two, that was the last time I sat in a college classroom as

a student. Making the decision to return to college was not easy. Do I pursue a degree? Can this

old dog still learn?

After studying Communications and Video Production and working in the television

industry, in 1988 my wife and I created Pennstroke Productions. First, specializing in personal

videos (Weddings, etc.) and low-level industrial videos; we discovered a niche in shooting and

producing videos at local auto racing facilities, selling videos to race fans and teams.

Pennstroke’s “At The Track” series prospered for almost seventeen years. With a slowing

economy and technology that put HD video in the hands of cell phone users, Pennstroke began to

struggle as sales slowed in the mid-2000s. In 2010, Pennstroke Productions produced its last

race video. At the age of 50, I felt I had no future.

November 2014, Dayton was buzzing with the news that Procter & Gamble was building

a warehouse next to Dayton International Airport. JobsOhio on Edwin C. Moses Boulevard

would be providing the location for the first round of job interviews. Saturday November 8,

interviews were scheduled for two sessions, 9am to 11am and 12 noon to 2pm. I arrived for the

morning session twenty minutes early. I sat in the car reviewed my resume and calmly prepared

myself. Once inside the JobsOhio building, all applicants were taken to a large classroom.

There were approximately 200 people in the room. The instructors informed us that this was one

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of two “teaching” sessions. We would fill out a sample application. Afterward, several

volunteer applicants would be “mock interviewed” and critiqued in front of the others. Those

present for the Saturday session would receive interviews first on Monday. I volunteered for one

of the interviews. It was a little scary getting up in front of a room full of people. Getting the

nerves out early could only make the interview better on Monday. The interviews on Monday

would be with the company doing the hiring. Exel an international logistics company would be

one of two companies staffing the P & G warehouse. I arrived twenty minutes early to discover

the parking lot almost full. After driving up and down the aisles for several minutes, I finally

found a spot between two cars, it was tight but I managed. It was at least 100-yard walk to the

JobsOhio main entrance. The entire lobby was filled with applicants. Interviews would be

running a “little late”. I asked about being one of the first interviews since I was present on

Saturday. The woman looked confused and replied, “Everyone will get an interview”. I was

standing with about 30 people with more streaming in. We were led from the main lobby to a

room on the east side of the building. The room meant to seat approximately 15 people

comfortably was filled with twice that many. After 20 minutes, we were escorted to another

room that was a little bigger. Our group was led down the hallway, through a door, down a

second hallway to another door. When we arrived, we waited as the group before us was taken

to the final staging area. I then heard they had been interviewing people since 7:30am. I was

told the interviews were starting at 8am! I looked at the clock on the wall; it was 8:50am.

9:05am, finally we were escorted to the pre-interview room. As we walked across the building

again circumnavigating through doors and down hallways like cattle. I got a peek at the

interview room. Twenty cubicles separated by large black curtains. As I sat down in the waiting

room, I felt tired and jittery. My mouth was dry. I waited another 15 minutes before my name

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was called. “Nathan Pennington”, a person wearing an Exel golf shirt called. I was escorted to

the interview room. The only memory I have of the interview was the sound of my voice

stuttering and stammering with each question. By the time I left the building and began the long

walk to my car, my head was reeling. I was short of breath, and sweating even though it was

almost mid-November. Sitting motionless, except for occasional drinks from a bottle of water I

had kept in the car, attempting to assimilate everything that had occurred during the interview.

Too many experienced warehouse workers unemployed. I need a new perspective and more

training.

Upon arriving home, I immediately began researching occupational courses. Realizing

any job specific training would be a short-term fix. I decided to pursue an associate’s degree. I

chose Sinclair Community College and an two year AAS in Business Management/Digital

Marketing. Combining my knowledge of media and production with modern management

techniques. Even though I appeared confident and resolute, inside I was nervous and scared.

Questions were running through my head. How had teaching changed? Do I still know how to

study a textbook? I felt like Fred Flintstone returning to school in George Jetson’s world.

January 5, 2015, first day of class, a winter storm had dumped approximately 6 inches of snow.

The roads were snow covered and slick. Having to concentrate on the snow-covered roads was

strangely calming. My first class was “Intro to Software” at 8am. As I went through my first

day, I began to relax. My second and final class for the day was Business Writing. Both

instructors were friendly and well informed. On Tuesday, feeling confident, focused and

energized, I went to my third class Management and Organizational Behavior. The routine of

studying textbooks and taking notes from the lectures helped me settle into the student lifestyle

once again. I was learning and enjoying it!

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Sitting here beginning my second semester with a 3.8 GPA, confident in having made the

correct choice. What I did not expect was increased focus and energy. I am ready to meet the

future. Can an old Dog learn? Yes, I can!