1983

The year is 1983. I am in my thirties. I am married have an eight year old son. I own a home and have a dog. I have been considering a career change. I became intrigued with the idea of becoming a stockbroker. These were ancient times. The world did not know about the internet and applying for jobs online. we didn't email or fax. I called the firm and ask them to mail me an application. I filled it out with a pen. On a cold snowy News Years day in 1983 I walked three blocks and dropped it in the mail box.

I am invited to my first interview in February. There were several more interviews to follow. The office manager was a very tall well dressed man. He spoke in a very low voice. The manager said to me after my third interview. " I am thinking you could start the training program in June." I was not sure if he was offering me a job or just thinking out loud. I assumed it was an offer and accepted. I started on the 15th of June.

I was told the first three months of training would be held in the Southfield Michigan office. You will be scheduled to take the General Securities Exam "known as the series 7"around mid August. The exam takes eight hours. I was told you are expected to pass the exam on your first attempt. If you pass the exam you will be given your airplane ticket, hotel reservation and other information you will need for your journey to New York for your last month of training at company headquarters on Wall Street. If you do not pass the exam you will find yourself unemployed. Nice knowing you have a good life.

The plane lands at La Guardia Airport in New York on a very hot Sunday in early September at 5:00 P.M. I take a cab into the city. Traffic is very heavy. The U.S. Tennis Tournament is in process. The New York Jets are playing football at Shea Stadium. I arrive at the Roosevelt Hotel at 45th and Madison in Midtown Manhattan around 8:00 P.M. This will be home for the next four weeks.

Monday morning I am in the hotel lobby at 7:00 A.M. New suit, shirt and tie. I quickly befriend a couple of other trainees who are easy to spot. We leave the hotel and walk to the world famous Grand Central Station where we catch the subway to Wall Street.

We arrive on Wall Street and head to One Liberty Plaza company headquarters at the time. Take the elevator to the 17th floor where classrooms are located. I take a seat facing the New York Harbor. I am feeling pretty good about myself. Eight months earlier I mailed the application, interviewed ,got hired, went through training and passed the exam. Now on a beautiful Monday morning in early September I am sitting in a skyscraper in the center of the financial headquarters of the world looking out the window at the Statute of Liberty.

It would be a busy month. Classes and lectures everyday from 9 until 5, Took a field trip to the New York Stock exchange and were given a complete tour of the building.

Across the street from our building were two giant buildings. A couple of times after class a group of us would go to the top of one of those buildings for a drink at a very nice place called Windows on the World. Those buildings were called the World Trade Center. Eighteen Years later those buildings were destroyed during an attack on this country. Thousands would die on what became known as 9-11.

It is still 1983. I am making calls on payphones and sending postcards to people. Times have changed so much it sounds like 1883 not 1983.

My wife and son come to visit on the third weekend. We planned to sightsee on Saturday. It rained all day. We go to the Empire State Building. We want to go to the observation deck at the very top. A guide tells us we won't see anything because of the clouds.

He was right but we tried.

Saturday night we go to a nice dinner and see a popular Broadway play called 42nd Street.

We walk all over the city on Sunday.

My wife and son flew home Monday morning. I remained for the final week of training which ended Friday morning. I was on a flight home by 5:00P.M. The following Monday morning I would begin my new career.

It was an exciting time for me. The world has changed a lot since that time. I am a lot older. Sometimes I wish it was still 1983.

WRITTEN BY

RON TURETT