Working Girl

The very first "job" I remember was as for a lady on Whittaker right across from Bennett School. I just needed to cross the alley, go through a yard, through the playground and across the street almost directly even with our own house on Navy. I was more "mother's helper" than babysitter although we called it babysitting. I would go over after school and take the kids for a walk round and round the block. Occasionally friends would join me for these walks. In inclement weather I would play with the kids (2) and keep them occupied while mom went about her business

My last chore of the day was to feed the baby his bottle while the mom fixed dinner. When he finished his bottle I went home to my own dinner. I used to try to prolong his bottle because the mom would always listen to "Our Gal Sal" (a radio soap opera) on the radio at that time and I didn't want to have to leave in the middle of it. I got quite hooked on it. I used to pull the bottle out of the baby's mouth during the good parts (he made so much noise gurgling). But I always put it back in before he started to cry.

One wintry day the mom sent me to the store for something. The store was across Vernor about even with her house. The route to the store was through her back yard, across the alley, through the parking lot of what became Sammy's Pizzaria and across Vernor.

We Beauregard children never left the house in wintertime without our boots. This lady said "You don't need your boots for that short trip, just hurry". I was appalled, and exhilarated, and excited and apprehensive. I kept looking down at my school shoes as they boldly walked on the cold pavement with patches of ice and even patches of snow which had to be avoided at all costs lest someone (Papa) notice that my school shoes had been wet.

Negotiating through that parking lot was harder than I thought it would be and there were a few close calls on slippery ice. I came to appreciate the need for rubber boots. I was so relieved when I completed my mission without falling or getting anything wet, I vowed never to complain about having to wear boots again.

I think I probably broke that vow.