Saturday, April 03, 2004
WORKING FOR THE BARRETT'S
I was up early the next morning and got ready to go back to work. I was able to use the bathroom downstairs to bathe and I had a change of clothes. I went to work early because I was so excited to have a job. In a few days I felt secure and comfortable with the routine and it was easy for me to deal with the public.
Mr. Barrett had been in the Army and had contracted an aliment while serving in WWII. As I remember, it was malaria. Sometimes he would not be to work for several days but Mrs. Barrett would come in during the busy times. More and more Amy and I were there alone and she began sitting down more and more in the booths with her friends. I didn’t think anything about it but when Rosie wasn’t working I would take the orders, fry the burgers, wait tables and do the dishes. It was still easier work than I was used to.
One night Mr. Barrett came in and told us he and Mrs. Barrett were going to the show and would be back when it was over. Amy took their absence for opportunity to sit with her friends again. After the movie was over the Barrett’s didn’t come back right away. The place was full but I managed to take care of everybody. After the rush was over, the Barrett’s came in and we cleaned up for the next day.
Mr. Barrett paid Amy and told her she could go home and asked me to stay a little longer. When they closed, Mr. Barrett told me they hadn’t gone to the movie. They went across the street to see what went on while they were gone. The sidewalk on the other side of the street was a good three feet higher than it was where the ice-cream parlor was so they could see through the whole shop.
He told me he had talked to Amy previously and asked how I was working out and why some of the work wasn’t done at times. She told him I didn’t do my part and she couldn’t get it all done, that I sat down when they weren’t there. I was dumb-founded to say the least. Amy was out of school and being older I had looked to her as a mentor. I had no idea she would say such a thing.
Mr. Barrett went on to say that he was going to fire Amy and give me her salary of 35-cents an hour because they hadn’t gone to the show at all but stood across the street and watched what went on. They did that every night during the week to see if Amy’s accusations were true. Instead they found it to be the other way around. He commended me on my good work ethic and told me I would have a job with them as long as I wanted.
To say the least it took me some time to absorb what had happened. I walked back to my room and felt very grateful I escaped being fired because of Amy’s lies. It was the first time my trust had been misplaced. It wouldn’t be the last time.
I wrote home routinely after I got my first pay so I could buy a tablet and envelopes. I wanted mom and dad to know I was OK and that I was working for the Barrett’s. Mom would write back and I’m sure was relieved to know I was doing well. I was too proud to mention anything negative in my letters. I sent glowing reports so mom wouldn’t worry about me. There was never any mention of dad or what happened when he came home and found me gone. It was something we were never able to talk about.
I went to work the first of August when it was miserably hot and humid. I stayed in the attic nights and worked from the noon rush til closing, usually around 11:00 pm. I went to church on Sunday’s with my land-lady and worked afterwards. It would soon be time for school to open so I walked up the hill to the high-school and found the Principal’s Office. I talked with Mr. Edwards and told him I had moved to Cabool recently and where I worked and roomed. I told him my records for my Freshman and Sophomore grades were at Summersville. He was very nice and said he would request my transfer and take care of it. I was told when school started and what I would need etc;
I was 15-years old May 28th that year and started school the last week of August. I was in the Junior class at Cabool High for the 1947-1948 term and I felt a great connection once I was back in school. Life seemed to be on track for me but not for long. I had a few unexpected surprises waiting for me…..but that’s a story for another day.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
Mr. Barrett had been in the Army and had contracted an aliment while serving in WWII. As I remember, it was malaria. Sometimes he would not be to work for several days but Mrs. Barrett would come in during the busy times. More and more Amy and I were there alone and she began sitting down more and more in the booths with her friends. I didn’t think anything about it but when Rosie wasn’t working I would take the orders, fry the burgers, wait tables and do the dishes. It was still easier work than I was used to.
One night Mr. Barrett came in and told us he and Mrs. Barrett were going to the show and would be back when it was over. Amy took their absence for opportunity to sit with her friends again. After the movie was over the Barrett’s didn’t come back right away. The place was full but I managed to take care of everybody. After the rush was over, the Barrett’s came in and we cleaned up for the next day.
Mr. Barrett paid Amy and told her she could go home and asked me to stay a little longer. When they closed, Mr. Barrett told me they hadn’t gone to the movie. They went across the street to see what went on while they were gone. The sidewalk on the other side of the street was a good three feet higher than it was where the ice-cream parlor was so they could see through the whole shop.
He told me he had talked to Amy previously and asked how I was working out and why some of the work wasn’t done at times. She told him I didn’t do my part and she couldn’t get it all done, that I sat down when they weren’t there. I was dumb-founded to say the least. Amy was out of school and being older I had looked to her as a mentor. I had no idea she would say such a thing.
Mr. Barrett went on to say that he was going to fire Amy and give me her salary of 35-cents an hour because they hadn’t gone to the show at all but stood across the street and watched what went on. They did that every night during the week to see if Amy’s accusations were true. Instead they found it to be the other way around. He commended me on my good work ethic and told me I would have a job with them as long as I wanted.
To say the least it took me some time to absorb what had happened. I walked back to my room and felt very grateful I escaped being fired because of Amy’s lies. It was the first time my trust had been misplaced. It wouldn’t be the last time.
I wrote home routinely after I got my first pay so I could buy a tablet and envelopes. I wanted mom and dad to know I was OK and that I was working for the Barrett’s. Mom would write back and I’m sure was relieved to know I was doing well. I was too proud to mention anything negative in my letters. I sent glowing reports so mom wouldn’t worry about me. There was never any mention of dad or what happened when he came home and found me gone. It was something we were never able to talk about.
I went to work the first of August when it was miserably hot and humid. I stayed in the attic nights and worked from the noon rush til closing, usually around 11:00 pm. I went to church on Sunday’s with my land-lady and worked afterwards. It would soon be time for school to open so I walked up the hill to the high-school and found the Principal’s Office. I talked with Mr. Edwards and told him I had moved to Cabool recently and where I worked and roomed. I told him my records for my Freshman and Sophomore grades were at Summersville. He was very nice and said he would request my transfer and take care of it. I was told when school started and what I would need etc;
I was 15-years old May 28th that year and started school the last week of August. I was in the Junior class at Cabool High for the 1947-1948 term and I felt a great connection once I was back in school. Life seemed to be on track for me but not for long. I had a few unexpected surprises waiting for me…..but that’s a story for another day.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
