As I stood alongside Peter, working away, trying to keep up with the product that sped by on a warp speed production line, he told me a very funny story about the first job he managed to get when he first came to jolly old England.
He saved up just enough money to pay for a cheap flight to England and arrived in 2005. He couldn’t believe his luck when he landed a job in a banana factory in Loton. He made the move across from his native Poland because in his words “It was on its arse”. He couldn’t find a job for love nor money in his homeland, and he had travelled the length and breadth of it. He had found temporary work on various farms but the pay was insulting and the long hours made the insult tantamount to criminal. He left his girlfriend behind (Who he eventually married. At last count, they have 3 children) and chanced his arm at coming to England in a desperate attempt to make them enough money to eventually live a life they wanted to live.
When he arrived in England he knew nobody and spoke little English but he was/is very industrious. He found and bought a broken down and rusted old Volvo, worked on its engine and made it work. Not only did he drive it around trying to find work, he also lived in it (For about 3 years) Peter didn’t tell me how the banana factory opportunity materialized, but it did. He found a field to park his Volvo in a few miles from the factory and made that his base.
He told me on his first day nobody really spoke to him, even though, as far as he could tell, most of the workforce were Polish or eastern European. He said all they did was nod they’re heads and occasionally say hello, but they would stare at him continuously. Every time he looked up from the crate of bananas he was sorting, half a dozen people would be watching him intently. He said he had considered that they were staring at him because he was so outrageously tall and said he asked them several times what they were staring at, but their response was to look away and concentrate on their job until they thought he wasn’t looking, then they would stare again!
This behaviour continued for the next few days and he admitted to me that it made him self conscious and nervous.
Then it happened!
He was working as usual, picking bananas from the crates, looking up occasionally to watch them watching him. As his hand emerged from the yellow mass of bananas, his head turned from watching the watchers to see the biggest blackest spider sitting on the top of his hand!
He told me he ran down the middle of the factory floor screaming like an old lady, his screams barely muffled by the sound of laughter and clapping as he ran past his audience.
He’s terrified of spiders, especially big mother f#$%ers!!!
After a while he plucked up the courage to walk back into the factory, greeted by applause and “Duza dupa” which translates as big ass!
They had waited patiently for his reaction the first time he came face to face with the spiders.
He admitted he must have been a funny sight. Him, 6.7. Running and screaming, his long arms flapping around uncontrollably.
Anyway, he stuck at it for 3 years, living out of his Volvo, living a paupers life so he could save enough money to move to Chesterfield, rent a flat and pay for his girlfriend to join him.
Peter told me so many funny stories about his life in Poland and England.
I have the utmost respect for him as a person. I don’t believe I’ve ever come across a person with so much tenacity and determination.
LOL, when you said they were all watching him, I *knew* they were waiting for him to find a banana spider, 😀
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Really? 🤣🤣
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Never seen one but I’ve heard alot of stories similar to poor Peter’s. LOL
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Ahhhhh ok 🤣🤣
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Good for him to stick at it. Living out of a car is no way to live for that long!
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I know, I don’t know how it managed it.
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“Tenacity and determination” are the most common traits I’ve seen among successful people.
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Absolutely right Abbie. Peter has both in abundance
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Yeah… I don’t know that I would have stuck around after that spider incident. I am super terrified too 😦
Peter sounds like a chap worthy of your respect 😉
A truly terrible, but amusing, story 😉
Trust that you are still well. Thinking of you. x
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Yea. I don’t think I would have stuck around 🤣 I’m fine thank you love. How are you?
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Yeah.. I’m tenacious… but I have my limits 😛
We’re all okay health wise still, thank you 🙂
So glad that you are fine. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and that whatever it brings is full of goodness ❤
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Good to hear you’re safe and well 😊 I wish the same for you ♥️
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Thank you ❤
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A very important story, John
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Do you really think it’s important Derrick? Thank you mate 👍
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I do indeed.
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👍 thanks mate
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Good story, and Peter sounds like the sort of immigrant every country hopes for.
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🤣🤣 ummmmmmmmm
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Yeah, after they kept staring I knew it had to be about the spiders too! Wow, what a welcoming hazing, aaaaahhhhh! I definitely know a few people who could learn a few things from Peter’s determination and lack of self-pity. Wish I could send this story to them anonymously! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Maybe there’s a way of doing just that hehehe
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Ok.
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It’s the living in the done-up Volvo for so long, in a foreign country, that impresses me the most John. Good genes were passed down to those three kids. What a survivor! Hats off to Peter!
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Yep. When I asked him how he put up with living out of his Volvo he laughed and said it was cheap. No rent. Council tax. Just a little food and drink.
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What a great story. I didn’t expect that! Guess my banana experience is to small. Thanks for a good laugh. 👏
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🤪🤣👍 thank you for reading it 👍
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That’s tenacity!
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It definitely is Laura. I admire him.
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Like 💞🥀💫
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Thank you love ♥️😊
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Great story and penned beautiful 🖤❤🙂
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Thank you very much Noorien, I appreciate your words 😊♥️
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Great story!
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Thank you very much Luisa 😊♥️
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💙
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Great story John. You are a natural born story-teller. You love people. That’s what comes through. 🙂
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Thank you mate. Actually, some people get on my nerves 🤣
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Mine too 🙂
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A wonderfully entertaining story!
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Thanks very much 😊
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I’m not usually afraid of spikers, but ugh. This one sounds like something that would scare me too! Lol
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🤣 yea. Apparently banana spiders are a common thing !!!
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Great story John! I never thought about spiders here. I think that would make me quit though. Regular spiders are one thing, but large ones are something else, like the 4 inch spiders we have here, those are just too big!
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Bloody hell Steve. 4 inches!!! Scary little critters
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I have had them in my apartment. The record size in the area is 6 inches. Their venom can actually paralyze small animals and make people sick. Had one in here just the other day. I just don’t like them that big!
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Holy cow batman!! Isn’t it strange, the bigger they are, the more they give you (Me) the creeps. Last summer I offered to clear the weeds and brambles from my friends back garden. I was pulling the weeds out whilst I was looking and talking to him and I felt a sharp pain on the back of my hand. I looked down to discover a spider was biting me. The puncture wounds bled and my hand swelled up. Little critter !!
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Yep, any spider bite can produce a bad reaction. I have been bitten by regular spiders but only ended up with a small lump. Sure wouldn’t want the reaction you got. I wouldn’t want to be bitten by one of these big critters either!
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Spiders are a no-no! 😂 What an inspiring story.
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A noooooooo for me too 🤣 thanks Kendi
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I hope he and his wife come through this Brexit craziness okay.
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Knowing Peter, he and his family will do more than survive it.
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Reblogged this on Alessandria today @ Web Media. Pier Carlo Lava.
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Thank you very much, I really appreciate it. 👍😊
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Love the story, John!
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Thanks Kally 😊♥️
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