I always find myself wondering about the toll booth people on my way home from work.

I'd think that they'd all fit some sort of a pattern, that I'd be able to pick out a commonality among them... such as, they're mostly immigrants of certain nations, or they're old, or they look unskilled or destitute and miserable and desperate for any ol' job. But no, there seems to be a wide variety of nationalities, socio-economic backgrounds, statuses, ages, demeanors, and reasons among them. And so, I wonder about each one. What's his/her story? How did he/she come to become a toll booth worker?

How does one get a toll booth job if one wanted one? I figure most of those workers are placed into their jobs, they don't actually choose them. I mean, they probably don't apply for toll booth jobs directly, but apply to be placed into a variety of minimum prociency positions. Maybe they must belong to some sort of company that hires workers for all sorts of crappy jobs, and maybe they rotate crappy jobs quarterly or yearly.

Is it even possible to apply for a toll booth job directly? Have there been any/many cases of people who really, really wanted to work in a toll booth? And tried to get the job, but couldn't? Or got it, and absolutely loved it?

I usually go through the same toll booths, and sometimes I see the same people everyday for days straight. Of course I remember them, but how many of them remember me? How many people do they remember from the many they see everyday? What makes some people going through the toll booth crossing more memorable than others? Often, before I drive off, I say, "have a nice day." Does that give me a better chance of being remembered? Am I just one of a majority of people who tell these poor people in their cramped little booths to have a nice day?

Sometimes it starts to feel awkward seeing the same toll booth worker everyday... when, by then, they either remember you or they've got a memory-related handicap. You and they have done the perfunctory "thanks" and "have a nice day" routine for too long. There's that instant of recognition that is usually followed by an acknowledgement of a connection of sorts. But, of course, you speed away before any sort of acknowledgement because you know that, in this case, there really is no real connection. Just that awkward daily instance of recognition.

I guess it would be like riding the same bus or train at the same time everyday and seeing the same people. You kinda look for them, and notice when they're not there. But there's no real connection. Just a recognition. But with toll booth people, an actual transaction takes place between you and them. You give them something, and sometimes they give you something back. And the exchange makes the interaction more personal. Slightly personal.

I think what I'd hate the most about being a toll booth worker (aside from the low wages) would be just that.. being exposed to such a quantity and variety of people all day (or for however long my shift is), but not being able to communicate or connect with any of them.