Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Nov 22/99) - Jared Jensen looks like he could use a strong cup of coffee on Saturday mornings.

But because he's only 13 years old, the Friday night dishwasher and pizza runner at the Frobisher Racquet Club sticks to juice to perk himself up after another busy night.

"Sometimes your arms are moving all the time because the dishes are pouring in," said Jensen, who picked up the Iqaluit dishwashing gig to alleviate his boredom.

"Sometimes it's pretty exciting," he said, explaining that his regular Friday night visits to the club with his aunt and uncle were becoming a bit mundane because of a lack of kids his own age to hang out with.

The Grade 7 Aqsarniit school student said he approached the manager and asked for a job to help wile away the hours.

"He said sure, so I started washing dishes. I come in about 6 p.m. and do the dishes and deliver the pizzas to people here."

Jensen said he stays until the rush ends at around 10 p.m., and as well as collecting an hourly wage, the nephew of the club's owner makes himself a pizza and takes home a tidy amount of tips.

"The most I made so far was $20," said Jensen, with a waiterly gleam in his eye.

As for his likes and dislikes, the go-getter noted -- to the pleasure of his mother -- that picking up new kitchen skills was a real plus and that getting thanked by customers for his work topped the A-list.

"I'm learning lots about the kitchen and taking it home," said Jensen.

But, he asserted, unruly kids could make for maneuvering loaded pizzas around the recreation facility difficult.

"Sometimes when I'm working and the little kids are running all around, the pizza has almost fallen off the tray. That's the most embarrassing part. It's happened a couple of times, but I've always managed to catch it," said Jensen, also an assistant hockey coach for the Amateur Hockey Association.

As for his career aspirations, he said he might consider a job in the restaurant business, but for now, the occupations of firefighter or mechanic were looking more appealing to him after his two-month stint as a dishwasher.

"It's a pretty good business, but it's hard because you're always in a rush and people are asking for things."