Every time I watch a Cubs home game on TV, I can’t help but think about my first job.

From 1999-2003, I worked as a seat vendor at Wrigley Field.

Most people think that it is a pretty cool summer job.

However, they have never vended at the Friendly Confines and have no idea about the people you meet and the experiences you encounter.

Arriving at the ballpark two hours before the game, the first person I would run into was Roger, who has been vending since the early 60’s. He has seen every type of Cubs collapse in his day and always reminds people to “Never choke on that Cubs s**t.”

Roger hasn’t bought a new pair of jeans since 1974 and showed up for work every day wearing a different Def Leppard concert T-Shirt.

A little while after arriving, I would receive my food assignment for the day from John, who has been doing this at Wrigley since WWII.

He is famous for his long speeches, reminding the vendors to give the correct change back to fans, and once kicked me out of a meeting for laughing.

“I’m gonna kick you’se out,” he yelled.

The pre-game meal is always an essential part of a vendor’s day.

A favorite restaurant of mine before the game was Wrigley Ville Dogs, the fine fast-food establishment that mysteriously put a lot of oregano on their hamburgers and regularly stole cups from TCBY yogurt.

After eating it was time to bum around the park until a late-arriving afternoon crowd got to their seats.

Each time I stepped into Wrigley during batting practice, I got goose bumps. It truly is the best sporting venue in the country.

It is an even better feeling when you are selling bottled water for three dollars a pop on a 100 degree day and spending more time reloading Aquafina than actually selling to fans.

Vendors load and re-load their products at six different fully staffed commissaries located around the ballpark.

“Fast Freddie” in right field was known to take a bribe or two in his day.

Lamont in left field enjoyed yelling at the younger guys to hustle, while he sat around and bragged about how much money he had won in dice games the night before.

And I don’t think any of us who worked there will ever forget the bearded lady and her daughter wrapping hot dogs in the upper deck.

There are also famous vendors who have become staples of the Wrigley Field mystique.

Arthur Lee, commonly referred to as “Big Daddy,” is a well-known vendor with fans and peers primarily because of his signature line. He used to walk around the stands yelling out to fans of all ages “Big Daddy Yesssss!”

In my five years, I also had many interesting encounters with baseball’s finest (?) fans.

A few weeks after the Bears drafted Marc Columbo in the first round of the NFL Draft, I saw him at a game and he requested a free hot dog from me.

I replied by telling him that I had to see his run blocking first.

I once finagled a tip from ESPN’s Chris Berman by yelling out, “C’mon Boomer.”

One time when I was selling hot dogs, a fan joked around with me the entire game.

Around the fifth inning, he asked if I had any really little hot dogs to sell.

Annoyed by the situation and his constant bickering, I responded by saying that perhaps he already had his own little hot dog.

When I arrived for work the next day, good ‘ole John sat me down and informed me that the fan had complained to Cubs customer service about me insulting his manhood. I was put on probation for the rest of the year.

Looking back, it was all in a day’s work on the corner of Clark and Addison.