Every parent anticipates that one day his or her child will grow up, leave the nest and make of a life of their own.
There’s the expectation that the infant, toddler and teenager years will give way to independence with all of its frightening risks and wonderful rewards.
Now, it’s understandable that sometimes economics play key factors in keeping a child living at home far beyond high school and college. There’s also the moving-out-then-moving-back-home scenarios that play out as children test their wings, albeit with comfortable fall-back options.
Nonetheless, parents want their children to learn the valuable lessons that come with footing your own bills for food, accommodation and transportation.
There is, however, the uncomfortable reality that even with good advice and techniques gleaned from books written by experts to steer your child in the right direction, things may not turn out exactly as planned.
The outcomes of a child’s life may be downright disappointing.
Every parent wants what’s best for their child, unless that parent is radically detached from their kid’s future aspirations, ambitions and prospects.
And although the high expectations of some parents can crush their children and result in a full-blown rebellious, anti-success bender, it’s realistic to want your child to succeed.
The definition of success, though, varies from family to family, but a college/university education and steady employment are often part of the equation.
For Pete Jordan, his father grew uncomfortable when asked by others what his 20-something son was up to.
Pete aspired to be nothing more than a dishwasher, a Master Dishwasher nonetheless, who “busted dishes” as a chosen profession.
In fact, Pete’s affection for dishwashing led to a remarkably ambitious quest, despite a self-professed aversion to work in general.
The California native’s claim to fame is his quest to wash dishes in all 50 states, as chronicled in the autobiographical tale “Dishwasher.”
In the book, Jordan recounts on-the-job tales from “dish pits” across the US, tales of free trays of leftovers from the buffet table, vermin-infested working conditions, and colourful coworkers.
While the unglamorous task of washing other people’s dirty dishes is central to the book, it sets the stage for compelling stories that play out on oil rigs, trains, cafeterias and communes.
In the process, the young man wrestles with the philosophical dilemma of his labours: what gets cleaned gets dirty again — a cycle that lives in perpetual motion.
In the end [spoiler alert!], he may walk away from his quest to dish in all 50 states before completing his goal, but not without a leaving a legacy as a Dish Master that transcends state lines.
If the tales of a dish washing road tripper can tell us anything, it’s that maybe not reaching your intended destination is not that bad after all.
At least you’ll have a collection of stories to share, made possible by drumming up enough courage to not only dream, but set that dream in motion.