Twenty years ago a colleague at Niota School (in McMinn County) mentioned she was working the census and getting pretty darned good pay. I needed a bit of extra cash as I was preparing for a get-together with a bunch of girlfriends down in Florida, so I went to the census meeting. They didn’t have online applications at that time.

I took a very easy little test. Basically, I guess it was showing that you could read and fill in a, b, c, or d. Anyway, I was hired and started going around on what was called the “second wave.” That basically was visiting those who had not sent in their census forms or checking to make sure the first wave census takers had done their jobs correctly.
At that time the census forms weren’t as concise as they are now. My husband and I filled out our census this year and it took five minutes. Back in 2000, there were more questions, about two pages (short form) or four decently long pages worth (long form).

Most people were congenial, but there were some interesting visits. One was to a mobile home where I was invited in, but quickly told that they had already done the form! It didn’t matter when I explained that the government hadn’t received a form, because when they saw that I had one of the long forms, they almost freaked. I politely told them it was a voluntary thing and could they please at least give me the answers they had put on the short form? They did that and I marked down what I observed. Yes, they had running water (the outdoor faucet was dripping). There was a mail box, and yes, they had a vehicle, etc., etc. My supervisor wasn’t all that happy, but I told her I got what I could and I wasn’t going back. I wasn’t sure if I would be greeted with a shotgun or not.

Actually, on one census run down toward Calhoun, I was greeted with a shotgun. And a big, growly, snarly hound dog. The man was very incensed that I was bothering him out there in the backwoods. I explained that I was just doing my job, having been sent to his address by my boss. He finally calmed down and actually answered a few of my questions as I sat in my car.

Another time I locked my keys in my car out in the country area between Niota and Sweetwater. It was getting dark, the road was muddy. I walked back to the person’s house that I had just interviewed and tried to call my husband. He didn’t answer. I ended up breaking out one of my windows. That was an expensive day!

Finally on the ‘third run’ I insisted on a partner (supposed to have one anyway, but that usually doesn’t happen). People had been irritated enough during the ‘second run’ and I wasn’t going to test someone’s ire going out to their house a third time. I have to admit, I enjoyed that part of the job. You had someone fun to talk to during the long hours, you didn’t have to worry quite as much about getting lost, getting scared, or trying to think of an answer to the inevitable question, “Why are you here again?”

The job only lasted five months and I did, indeed, receive enough in pay to finance my trip to Florida that summer. I tried to apply in 2010, but the government was hiring people who had been affected by the recession of 2008, so I didn’t get a call back. This time? Wasn’t interested. I was retired, have six published books to market and we only have one car. Besides, with Covid, I just didn’t want to take a chance. Let the young squirts do it. Still, with all that’s going on, I don’t envy them, nice paycheck notwithstanding. Even though we already filled out our form, if someone shows up at my door, I’ll answer their questions. I know what they’re going through.

Susan Kite is the author of six young adult books and is a proud member of Author’s Guild of Tennessee. Check out her books at www.bookscape.net or at www.amazon.com/author/bookscape