Dishwasher by Peter Jordan

[Gary Syck]

I'm currently learning a lot about being a slacker by reading Peter Jordan's memoir Dishwasher: One Man's quest to wash dishes in all 50 states. The story starts with a young Peter, finding himself nearly grown up, but with no idea of what he wants to be. He likes maps, travel, reading and free time, but he cannot figure out how to get work compatible with his life style. While he searches, he takes various unskilled jobs, which he changes with his unstable moods. He stumbles into dishwashing where he gets free food, let his appearance go and skip from job to job easily.
Peter claims to be a slacker, but he works hard towards certain ambitions. He studies more experienced dishwashers to find ways to do the best job with the least effort. He canvases wide areas to scare up jobs in unfamiliar places. He collects stories of his own and other dishwashers and publishes a 'zine, years before the internet will make this easy. If that is not enough, he forms the idea that he can wash dishes in all 50 states. When I was his age, I also drifted around the country, but my highest ambition was to scrape together beer money for the weekend. This guy gives slacking a bad name.
I don't know how Peter's story turns out. That is about 150 pages away. Given the straightforward writing style, I'll know how it ends in a day or two. I have enjoyed the trip so far.

-- 18 Aug 2012, 12:31 --

Update -
I just finished this book and I have to post that I was very disappointed with the way it turned out. I was waiting for some sort of conclusion that would make this more than an uninspiring tale. If you are going to write a memoir, isn't there an implicit promise of something unexpected or unusual? I already know about washing dishes. I wash dishes every day. I've even washed dishes in many of the states in this country. This author just washed more of them. Spoiler - he may have washed more dishes, but I've washed dishes in Hawaii and he hasn't.
So - I can't recommend this book. Instead, here is a memoir with a bit more to it: Cork Boat by John Pollack. This guy was also a slacker with a dream. He also is only a fair writer. But - he has a much more satisfying story to tell.