Why You Should Hire Basil Mansfield

You may not know who Basil Mansfield is, but if you spend any time at all in the city, you have likely passed him by as he pedaled along on his bicycle.

It's been his transportation of choice for decades.

"It keeps me in shape," said Mansfield, taking a coffee break at one of his regular stops, the Riverwalk Cafe. 

Mansfield has a bit more time on his hands for coffee breaks these days, since losing his longtime shipping and receiving job in February when New England Pie Company sold off the business to a Massachusetts company.

Since then, Mansfield has been filling out applications and looking for work. His work history is stellar – only missed a few days of work in 18 years, due to illness – and of course, the time he tumbled off his bike and broke his collar bone. 

But as a Vietnam-era veteran who served 12 years in the Marines, Mansfield is understands the value of hard work. He's not a quitter.

He's beginning to wonder if his age is working against him.

"I turned 62 in February, and sometimes it feels a little like age discrimination. I'm not sure what else it could be – I'm the only one of all of us who lost our jobs from the pie company, who hasn't found work," Mansfield said. 

He gets $300 a week unemployment, and has health insurance through the VA. All he really needs is steady work.

"I don't need a lot – maybe $14,000 a year. Mostly, I just want to keep busy," said Mansfield.

He's fallen behind in his rent, and is starting to worry what will happen if he can't get off the waiting list and into transitional housing at Harbor Homes, which provides housing for veterans in need of assistance.

Mansfield never saw active duty, but served three tours in Okinawa, from 1973 to 1985. 

"I'm still considered a Vietnam-era veteran because technically, Vietnam didn't end until 1985. But one of the problems for those of us who served during a time when we went from war time to peace time is that the military can be much more selective. If you didn't fit the mold of the perfect Marine, you weren't encouraged to stay, so I got out after 12 years," Mansfield said. 

He enlisted after a few years of college, earning an Associate's degree in drafting from New Hampshire Vocational Technical College, and tried a semester at Keene State, but woke up one day feeling like he needed to try something else. 

"I got burned out, so I drove from Keene back to Nashua, found a recruiter and enlisted," Mansfield said.

After the Marines, Mansfield tried life on the West Coast for a few years, but eventually made his way home, to Nashua. 

He got hired in 1995 to work at the Merrimack pie company, working up to 70 hours a week at the height of pie popularity, when shipping thousands of pies daily was a piece of cake, for Mansfield and the rest of the crew.

But when company owner Joe Lannan decided to sell the business, Mansfield said following the operation to Lynn, Mass., wasn't a good option for him.

"It's not a good bike commute, and I really didn't want to have to move down there. Nashua is my home," Mansfield said. 

Seven months into the job hunt, Mansfield is getting discouraged. 

"I was the oldest guy on the crew, and they all found work elsewhere. It's hard not to think it has something to do with my age, but I say I could keep up with the best of them," Mansfield said.

His daily bike riding is part of what keeps his diabetes in check, and keeps him in shape – he figures he puts about 500 miles a week on his bike, and has gone on bicycling vacations, riding as far as Ben & Jerry's, 160 miles due West in Waterbury, Vt., and north, to the top of the state, and back, on two wheels.

"I'd actually love a job that has to do with bicycle safety, helping to educate kids – and even adults – about riding safely, and sharing the road with motorists," Mansfield said.

But he will take anything – he's applied to two nearby Wal-Marts, and was told they weren't hiring until October, and to come back to reapply. He's also tried several local companies, but so far, no nibbles.

"I don't get it. The website says, 'Fill out our application today and start working tomorrow. Apparently, that's not the case," Mansfield said. 

"I decided to go to City Welfare to see if I could get some help with the rent, but they said I made too much, with my unemployment. They suggested I apply for food stamps, but I'm pretty sure they will tell me I make too much, as well," Mansfield said.

According to AARP, Mansfield is not necessarily unique – America's work force is graying rapidly, with about half of America’s private sector workforce over the age of 40. That means they are also protected by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which is prompting employers to discover the advantages to attracting and retaining capable, qualified workers, like Mansfield, who guarantees he will show up for work, every day, on time. 

"I rode my bike to Manchester the other day – that's where I go for my primary care. It was a good ride, straight up Concord Road, although once I get into the city, the hills are tough," Mansfield said. "One employer asked me how long I thought I might stay with the job. I said I'd stay until I couldn't work anymore – in my mind, that's a long way off."


Mansfield can be reached at 603-494-6303.