New Stories second half of 2003
MB
When I left Battle Creek Michigan I never believed that I had led a sheltered life. But the next few months proved me innocent. At one point I had random men walk into my room in the middle of the night looking for my roommate. When she wasn't around they wanted to know if I wanted to sleep with them for drugs like crack and heroine. I had no idea I was living with a prostitute. Another girl in the crew claimed to have been raped by two of the other crewmembers at the same time. I watched 4 of the guys jump a guy at the urging of a manager because he had bragged that he was stealing cash from the company. The victim was kicked off the crew after he had been hospitalized. Sex and drugs were what we lived for. I would get $15 a day for food. Most of the time I would put $10 a day toward weed with someone else. That only left $5/day each for munchies. I was always sharing a room with 4 or 5 other people of either sex. Whoever you shared a room with always had a boy/girlfriend and sometimes there would be 2 or 3 different couples having sex at the same time. It was like an orgy 24/7. No wonder I ended up pregnant.
When I finally figured out that I was pregnant I was freaking out. Here I was 2,000 miles from home and the only person that I could turn to was my manager. I couldn't tell my mom. My fellow crew mates thought it was no biggie. The guy that I slept with thought it was "cool" because he'd had unprotected sex all the time and he'd never gotten anyone pregnant (that he knew of). That wasn't scarry or anything. (It took me 2 years to get an HIV test I was so scared that I might be positive. Fortunately for me THAT test came back a big NEGATIVE) His attitude about the pregnancy was bad but the overall attitude was "abortion". For the other girls in the crew it became a second form of birth control. Everyone's attitude made me sick. Eventually I did get the abortion, but I never felt comfortable with my decision and I cried through the whole thing.
When I went to my appointment, my manager had already dropped off all of my other crew members. I was the last one. She gave me a lecture because she had to spend the crews money on the abortion and therefore they wouldn't get a picnic for Labor day because of me. She didn't even walk me to the Dr's door. She left me in the parking lot with a wad of cash and said not to worry she'd be back before they started and she would be with me the whole time. I told her I couldn't do it alone and that I wanted my mom. She didn't show up for 3 hours. The procedure didn't take very long and the Dr. was waiting when I got there so we rushed ahead. The whole time I was crying and pleading to wait just a few more minutes for my boss to get back. I told them that she promised. The Dr. couldn't wait and I went through it alone. I was left for over an hour in a private room waiting for my manager to pick me up. This was an extra hour than the alotted time for recovery. She was so non-chalant about everything after that that I only stuck around for a week before I called my mom and begged her for a ticket home. I spent 2 days after the procedure without food because she made me feel so bad about the money thing that I was afraid to ask for a draw since I couldn't work.
When the guys I shared a room with finally asked her for some money on my behalf she said that I had to come to her and even then she wouldn't arrange for me to get nutritious food. She told me to either walk the half a mile to the closest grocery store or I could get food from the gas station across the street. I just got so fed up and sick of the ill treatment but the last straw was when the guys I was sharing a room with decided to leave the crew. They had found girlfriends locally and the girls picked up their stuff in the middle of the night. The next day our crew was supposed to get on the road and meet back up with the big crew of 50 in another state. While everyone was loading there things in the cars I stood there in the middle of the parking lot and decided it was time for me to get out. The people that I liked were leaving and even they weren't "good people" They were all on coke, crack, or opium on a daily basis. So at that point I called my mom and went home.
I think that I was lucky to get out when I did. I am happy to hear about these websites and different support groups that are helping the stranded and hurt. I hope that my story can help or even change someone in a positive way. It took me 7 years to get over the emotional scars that the abortion left but I am a better person because of the experience.
B
Well i started out by answering an ad in the local paper,i had just dropped out of school and i was struggeling. It said come travel road rules style! So i went to the hotel for the interview because after all i really had nothing to lose. I thought it sounded like a blast! The ad runner was seriously attractive, and said it was all one big party and you got paid for it. So i said yes, it wouldnt hurt to at least try. He told me i had to be ready to go in three hours, that part i did not like. i have a ton of clothes and a lot of friends that i had to leave.
We got to the hotel at about ten pm and everyone else including the mngr were out at some kind of party? So the ad runner and i decided to go to a club. We ended up getting totally wasted and didnt get back to the hotel until about three in the morning. I couldnt believe it my first day on the job!! the next day i had to go out on territory w/another agent and since there werent a lot of girls on crew i had to train w/a guy. we go to a meeting in the morn it was like a pep rally for the other agents to create so called "positive mental attitudes!?" we get into these eight to twelve passenger vans. each one holding three to five people. In the crew life if you dont write consistant business you are called names and thrown in the "pit" of the van.
We got dropped off at eleven o'clock and were told to return at two, three hours. My trainer tells me he never works first drop, that he usually finds some where to hide out (just in case the car-h. decides to spot us out) and then he gets baked and goes back at two and lies his business. if and when he gets caught in this lie, he is either hit or verbally abused by the car handelers!
After first drop you are taken to get something to eat - if the car didnt have any business then you are taken to a gas station for food. And if you dont have any money well then you dont eat!! this was my very first day on crew, and the rest of the day i was so high going to doors it was not cool! and even though i wanted to leave, i really had no where to go back home so i stayed on crew. it got better though my first day on t i sold ten by myself. and the mngr immediately took me under his wing calling me his "new power agent" and giving me money to go shop and tan and whatever i wanted. needless to say i was pretty happy. untill i had a bad day on t, then i was treated like shit! i was called names like weak and incomp. shit like that!
The worst story i have to tell is when the crew was in florida. We were in st augestine, we had just arrived not even there for five hours and the mngr had been telling us all day no drugs or alcohal in the hotel. and since the whole crew smoked pot and drank that didnt happen. one of the agents ended up with out even realising it asking one of the hotel managers for smoke! our mngr was told and flipped shit. he came into my room where the agent was and took him by his neck and slammed him against the wall! after beating the living shit out of him. he drove him up to the bus station and dropped him off (no money no clothes, nothing)! i had never seen anything like in my whole life it was horrible. but i couldnt leave, i was stuck.
A couple weeks later i started getting sick from not eating right and lots of stress. that day i was dropped off on t and may i add that it was shit for t! you see because i was stressed i was negative and not writing a lot of business so i was being treated like shit. so i was dropped off in the ghetto at eleven and told not to come back untill i had twenty sales in my ducket and that he would be back to pick me up at eight pm!!! i went to my first door and because i was so sick i passed out right at mrs jones door! i came to in her arms and she was freaking out. she wanted to call 911 but i wouldnt let her knowing that the manager would flip if i didnt have my business, so i went back to work. after i finally got twenty sales it was about five o'clock or so and i knew my car handler wouldnt show untill eight. so i went and called a cab. and i went to the ER. after all of the testing and everything i was diagnosed with vertigo a viral disease caused by stress and malnutrition. i called our office lady and told her where i was and that i needed to be picked up because i was too weak to do anything. she immediatly asked what i had on the day, i told her twenty. she was quiet for a long time and then she told me that i was lucky i had twenty because i was in a lot of trouble. they came and got me and took me to the office. now remember that im really sick and i cant even barely stand. The manager comes in and slams the door and just starts ripping me a new asshole for bailing on the car handler. he doesnt ask if im alright or anything he asks for my ducket and tells me to pack my shit! I start to argue saying that i have no where to go. and he tells me i should have planned my day better. after that he sends me to the bus station with only enough money for a ticket. im on the bus for three days with no food or any money.
Im back home now, im a little better because im eating right and sleeping regularly. i have no home, im staying with my grandparents, but i cant stay long. i still havent seen any of my money and probably never will. now i have to start all over. and even though i have no job and no home, im still happy because im not on the crew anymore.
I hope that some one reads this and does something about these
people, their horrible and deserve to be punished for using and
abusing kids the way that they are. and all for their own benefit!
something has to be done!!!!
Br
sold for 3 months. In that time I was witness to 3 forced abortions, 5 gang like beatings of sales agents, excessive drug use, and all around lack of human decency from the management. My advice to the other kids out there, stay away from these liars. Stay home. It's not worth your life. They left me in the middle of Connecticut with no money and nowhere to go. They all deserve to be shut down, and I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that it happens!
M
I am married now. I quit in 2000, and I live in texas
story: I started when i was 18 with my twin sister. We were taken to Carrolton,TX. I wanted something new and i was hired right on the spot. I didnt need to have an interview. They told me if there was anyone i knew who wanted to join to tell them that they can. They said they would pick my sister and i up in a limo. I thought that was cool, but we didnt.
Well the guy who picked us up - I ended up being with him for like 3 years. It was the worst relationship i was in. We would fight constantly and he was physically and emotionally abusive to me. They treat u like crap. Also if someone didnt make any sales u cant talk to them. They were ridiculed and called a W.A.B (weak ass bitch).
One day my boyfriend was hitting me cause i wasnt making any sales, and he thought i was cheating on him. I had to go to the hospital cause i couldnt walk. He didnt even bother to take me cause the boss was getting him a car and that is what he cared about. I wanted to see this place in roanoke where we were staying, but he told me i didnt make enough money for him to take me.
One day i was screaming for someone to help me, but no one did. I even told the president of the company's wife and all she said was i could go travel with someone else. Like all these stories, there are drugs and sex. Also alot of couples fight and hit eachother. There is alot to say about the mag life. The only good thing is that i got to see the states. If someone asked me if it is a good idea to join i would say no.
AM - message to us when stranded
They decided to stop paying us basically and we decided to quit and now they won't pay for our bus ticket, even though I have well over $500 on my books.
AJB
I got home.. safely after threatening to press charges
story: AUG.03 I just moved out of my friends - they felt like I was "mooching" so I needed to get out on my own. I went into a local employment listing where it said "Travel the world" "Represent fashion, rock & roll, through publications". "travel paid, transportation provided". I was like "YES" the answer to my problems. So I went to this main office for an interview and they asked, "can you take a greyhound tonite?" I was like HELL YES! So the "owner" took me out to dinner a very nice resturaunt, telling me all these stories and how he loves to go out there himself. and how all the guys are so cute and "clean cut". So i was dropped off at the Pheonix bus station for a 2 and a half day trip to minniappolis. When I got there , this creepy looking man (nothing like the guy in phx described) picked me up. We got into a ford focus and went to a hotel. it wasnt "all" that great but ok. He didnt have a room for me yet i guess so i sat in some other girls room till they all came back from "territory" which later I was to learn about.
I got roomed with my trainer who was completely insane and odd. She looked like she had been doing alot of drugs. When i got there he gave me 20 and said go to the resturant get something to eat..so i did.. and i get back at around 12 and they said... all new people had to be in bed by 12..i got up and walked around with my psycho trainer for the day - watched her then tried it on my own the next. i hated it.. people slamming doors in my face yelling at me.. calling cops. I actaually had a cop stop me and i gave him some bullshit story and he actually gave me his # and asked me out.
Well a couple days went by and I decided i wanted to go home this wasnt what they said it was to be. when i asked about going home they FLIPPED. My boss mainly slammed the door called the hotel desk and said i wasnt allowed to be on the premises. they werent even going to let me in my room to get my stuff.!
I called the guy that originally hired me and he said everything
will be ok he will take care of it. nothing happened. so the lady
at the hotel called the cops telling them that they were going
to strand me and there not letting me into the room to get my
stuff.. and i was 2500 miles from home! cops came and my boss
totally denied the story saying that he never said it and to go
to my room.. so i did and i got a call from a car handler saying
"come down stairs the boss wants to talk to you". so
i went downstairs and he comes into a room with me and the first
thing he said was "shut up, i dont want to hear anything
you have to say?" i was like UHH OK? so he started screaming
and throwing stuff across the hotel and he got in my face. and
then he said "How do you think your getting home are your
parents paying"? i was like NO YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU WOULD
PAY FOR ME. he said no. that in the contract i said i would stay
for 2 weeks. A girl on our crew had a bf in the main office in
phx!
and he looked at it.. No where had it said i had to stay 2 weeks..
So i told my manager you have 2 seconds to decide you either send
me to the bus station and pay for it or im calling the police
for you getting in my face i felt threatend for my life. So he
walked out and i sat there, i think he made a couple calls and
he came back in the room and said "You have your shit packed
get in my car im sick of you im taking you to the greyhound"
and that was it.. i was left with no money for my trip home and
a good thing I had some nice bus people who had fed me. I swear
i want to run my car into the main office in phx. but i am a better
person =)
KO
I was a small town girl with big dreams and no hopes of filling them. Came across an ad one day "Travel the country in a road rules type atmosphere" sounds great right.....wrong.
Oh sure it was fun at first, everyone befriends you, shows you the ropes, buys your way for the first week, then once you have a "high" day your on your own. Man the stories I can tell. They make you think it's the best thing for you, well let me tell you it is the worst way to "get away" from your troubles. The best thing that came of the mag business was getting on the bus and coming home. When I have more time I will gladly tell all my horror stories.
S
Well.. My story is a lot like everyone elses I guess...
I was 22, just left my husband and basically didnt know what to do with myself... I was staying with a friend on the Jersey Shore and some guy knocked on the door selling magazines...
I started asking him questions about his occupation and he was full of info about it...
He basically hired me on the spot, telling me how much fun it was, how much money I would make and etc...
I left with them that night...got to a hotel in Edison, NJ....
they put me in a room with some girl who had guys in and out of
the room all night (gross)...
Well, I quickly became one of their top sellers...
It all came to an end when after being picked up from our selling area one evening... the driver/manager told me i didnt sell enough and i should get back out, in the dark, in NY and go knocking on more doors...
I said "no way buddy, its 9pm and you cannot make me walk around by myself in a bad neighborhood".... he got pissed and was refusing to let me back in the van and then told me "ill pick you up at 10:30 right here" and he sped off...
Well, I went to a corner diner and sat on my ass until then,
and got picked up at 10:55pm...
Got in the van and he asked me how much I sold and I said "nothing,
you wasted your time" and when we got back to the hotel,
I went into the boss's room and told him how I was treated and
also wanted all this money I was promised (because i wasnt getting
paid cash, they kept promising it but then would give us cocaine
or pot and alcohol and tell us to go party and he will get me
the money soon---thats how they had these kids sucked in... with
drugs!)
So, I told him to F*** off and I stormed out of his room.... and some people from the crew were listening at the door and when I walked out, this guy said "im going with you"... so me and this guy left...
It wasnt a fun experience, it was disturbing and I feel bad for the people working doing this type of thing. The boss and his wife, along with 2 other crew members (who were married and had met while working there) had kids... they each had a baby... what a life for the kid! Geez... I feel bad for some of the girls that were also there... Its just sad... I wish I could get in touch with some of them now but This was back in 1994 and who kows where they are and really I cant even remember their names...
I dont even remember the name of the mag crew... I would know it if i heard it... but I was with them such a short time...
I was the only one on the crew with a car, and i even had my cat with me LOL... I told them that was the only way I would come and they said it was ok... but I hated it.. I dont think anyone ever got any mag's... It was all bullshit im sure.
Now, I live with my fiance of 6 years in Nashville, Tn.. Im 30 years old and the mag crew is anchient history.
But be warned any of you who are looking into this as a career... its not a good thing... Its not worth the bullshit and certainly not a career goal... you wont make any money.
NJ
i was on this crew for 2 years and i was a car handler and after having a bad week of not alot of sales i was told to leave the hotel and find my own way home. I asked for the money i earned off my books and they told me that i had to wait 90 days its been like 4 months now and they wont even answer my calls. they knew i had no family and magazine sales was all i knew how to do but now i am stuck here with no shelters to go to and no one to turn to . all i can say is that it was more of a scam than a job and i wouldnt recommend it to anyone
DM
The whole thing about mag crews is the only way you can make any money is by being deceptive. the managers say they don't know what you are doing but they do and that is how they train you. my manager beat me up and fird me. The reason that i didn't call the police is that i was scared that he would really hurt me or i wouldn't get a ticket home from oakland and plus he has millions of dollars who would believe me over him. DON'T JOIN MAGAZINE CREWS IT IS A DANGEROUS BUISNESS.
PA
When I got the job I was working at a gas station and hated it and me and a friend where planning on getting our own place. So we were both looking for a new job when we found this add that said cool jobs with great pay. So we called the number and they said that we would be working in sales and that we would be working on college campuses and military areas and that we would be making anywhere from $20 to $100 a day and it was good pay with lots of fun. They needed me right away though like that day or the next if possible and that I would have a 2 week traning process. They would send me the bus ticket and pick me up from the bus station when I got there. So I packed my things that day and quit my job and headed out the next day. I ended up leaving alone though my girl friend stayed at home with her mom she said she couldn't just leave everyone like that. When I got to the bus station where they were suppose to be waiting for me when I arrived in Toledo, there was no one there so I waited for about an hour and called the number that I had called to begin with and they said that they had no vehicals there but that I could take a cap and that they would pay for it. I was paid for just being there that day even though I didn't work that day and everything seemed really cool. I went out the following day and saw how it was done.
After being there for a month when I wasn't selling as great as they thought I should I was only getting around $15 a day and was only getting to eat once a day and some days not eating that much. I did how ever really like the people I worked with and met some really great friends and hope to hear from them again soon. We lost touch with each other when she left and they through some of her belongings away. (She left not a week after me, and in her belongings was my address and phone number so that she could get in touch.)
When I decided to leave it was because we weren't getting paid at all and I hadn't eaten a bite of anything for 3 days and felt so sick. I was also sleeping in the floor in my room that I had to share with three other girls because I sold less magazines then they did.
When I decided to leave they kept trying to keep me from leaving, like kept trying to take my bags back to my room and stuff like that. I did however make it home though and I am very happy for that. I do however miss my friends from crew and wish that I could get in contact with them.
Oh, we also were stopped by the police several times for selling the magazines with out a permit and some of my friends even went to jail for it for a few days. It was really scarey at times. I also had another friend who got held up in this really bad area where she was working. Plus I had several people try to pick me up while I was waiting for my ride but I knew where some of my guy friends where working and found them so I would be safe. One of my other friends that I met on crew called me after she left and told me that she and her boyfriend were both beat up when they left the crew. He was jumped by four of the managers on the crew. Anyways, the experience wasn't that bad of one but I do think that someone wanting to do this needs to really think of all the things that they have heard or read before jumping into it. God Bless! Lots of love!
